


Beautiful Pain

by Prongs_writes



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mortal, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Artist Nico di Angelo, Bisexual Jason Grace, Bisexual Percy Jackson, Bisexual Will Solace, Childhood Friends, College, Family Loss, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gay Nico di Angelo, High School, Hurt Nico di Angelo, Injury, Kindergarten, Kissing, Lots of Angst, M/M, Pain, Pining, Pining Nico di Angelo, Sad Nico di Angelo, Sibling Death, Slow Burn, Soulmates, University, Will Solace is a Dork, Young Nico di Angelo, aro/ace Leo, minor frazel, minor jercy, minor theyna, non demigod au, solangelo, solangelo over the years, this will take a while, young will solace
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:13:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 115,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24411865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prongs_writes/pseuds/Prongs_writes
Summary: A story which follows Nico and Will through different stages of their lives as they grow closer and fall in love but not without some obstacles in the wayorA very angsty slowburn, childhood friends to lovers soulmate au that will make you cry that nobody asked for but I delivered
Relationships: Nico di Angelo & Will Solace, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace
Comments: 348
Kudos: 322





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is going to be a long one with a lot of angst so get ready. I got the idea from one of the Klance prompts that I read somewhere and from the song 'Beautiful Pain' by Alec Benjamin hence the title and the summary. I hope that you'll enjoy it and that it will live up to your expectation since I've been hyping it up for months now. 
> 
> Updates will be every week on Wednesday nights. 
> 
> Buckle up y'all, we're in for a ride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First meeting, first meeting, first meeting!

Birds chirped around and the sun shone. It was just on that side of warm enough where a simple sweater kept you safe from the fresh air. The fallen leaves crunched under the feet of the passers they made their way around. Soft oranges, yellows and reds blurred and fused together, bathing the whole place in a glow that screamed fall and filled your heart with a special kind of warmth. Kids ran around the playground, chasing each other, happy squalls and giggles escaping them. 

All, but one. 

Nico sniffled once more, staring at the big scrapes that now decorated his knees. Bianca will be mad at him for ruining his clothes. The thought made his gut twist with guilt and another onslaught of tears spilled from his eyes.

He was playing by himself on the swings when some random kid came up from behind and pushed him off. He fell, scraping his knees and hands on the harsh gravel. His palms burned and his knee bled, but none of that mattered because his clothes were ripped and his mythomagic cards were spilled all around. 

Nico bit his lip to keep it from wobbling as he hastily started gathering his cards. An older boy approached him, picking up a couple of cards and running away as Nico could do nothing but sadly stare after him. No point in asking him to give them back, he was older and stronger and Bianca was going to be mad either way.

He got up, deciding to just find a secluded space to sit at and wait for his sister to come and pick him up. He stuffed his cards into his pocket where he knew they’d be safe. There was a slight limp to his walk, his knees still hurting from the fall. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, pushing dark bangs away from them.

“Are you okay?”, a small voice sounded from behind him. Nico froze, frown immediately finding its way on his face. 

“I’m fine”, he gritted out without turning around.

“But you’re crying”, the voice insisted, sounding closer now.

“I said, I’m fine. Leave me alone.” And with that he started walking again, determined to get away from everyone as fast as possible.

“Hey, stop!” The voice followed him with rushed steps. A blur ran past him and then he was stopped by an arm on his shoulder. Nico stubbornly stared at the ground, refusing to make eye contact with the other kid. 

“You’re hurt!”, the kid exclaimed suddenly and then there was a hand tugging at his wrist. “Come! I have some bandaids, I’ll fix you up!” The kid sounded a bit too excited as he kept on tugging him along. Nico stumbled on his feet, still not looking at the boy. It was a boy, he was sure of that. His voice didn’t sound like a girl’s at all. 

“Sit”, the boy ordered and then he was pushed onto a sunlit bench. He squirmed in his seat, small sniffles still escaping him as he stared at his knees. The other boy dropped to the ground, a colorful bandage in hand and a concentrated look on his face.

He looked 6, around Nico’s age. His hair was a mess of blond curls held back by colorful clips, tan skin covered with freckles. The clothes she wore were a disarray of different colors, a pink sweater with green polka dots being his statement piece. His tongue was peeking out as he carefully placed the bandaid on Nico’s knee. He looked at it proudly for a second before moving and placing another one on his other knee. 

“There!”, he beamed and a pair of blue eyes looked up at him. Nico never saw anything so blue or so kind. “All fixed.”

“Thanks”, he muttered, a small blush coating his cheeks before he ducked his head back down.

“No problem. Always happy to help”, the boy shot him a toothy grin as he sat down on the bench too. He was taller than Nico, which made him feel small and insecure. “I want to be a doctor, you know”, the boy suddenly said.

Curiosity got the better of him, “Why?”

“Because I want to be just like my dad. He’s awesome. The best doctor ever”, honesty dripped from his every word. Nico believed him.

“My dad works for the police”, he said as a way to fill the silence.

“Is he a cop?”, blue eyes expectantly stared at him and Nico had to avert his gaze. He swung his legs as he spoke.

“No. He works with dead people.” He mentally kicked himself for not knowing the correct word despite Bianca explaining it to him a million times already.

“That doesn’t sound fun at all.” The boy wasn’t grinning anymore, a deep frown placed on his face as he stared at him.

“So? I think it’s a cool job”, Nico snapped.

“No need to be angry, Death Boy”, the boy said easily before his grin came back, a mark identical to the one Nico has stretching over his lip.

“Death..I’m not a Death Boy!”, he spluttered.

“Sure you are, you even wear everything black”, the boy pointed out.

Nico’s ears burned. His dad wore all black too. He liked it, even though Bianca always said that he should put something else on. 

Just as he was getting ready to snap at the boy again, a man approached them. 

“There you are Will!”, the blond man exclaimed as he dropped down in front of them. He placed his hands on Will’s knees, an identical smile plastered on his lips, no mark to be found. “What did I tell you about running off like that?” The words weren’t scolding, but the worry was evident.

“But dad”, the boy, Will, whined, “I was just helping. Look, I fixed his knees.” He proudly pointed at Nico’s bandaged knees. Nico looked at the ground, trying to ignore the man's stare.

“Good work there, buddy”, he praised Will as he ruffled his hair. Will’s dad touched Nico’s shoulder lightly and Nico couldn’t do anything but turn his attention towards him. Bianca told him he had to be nice towards the adults after all. “That’s quite a scratch you got there, champ. You good?”

Nico gave a small nod, “I’m okay.”

“Well, that’s good to hear”, he got rewarded by another smile before the man turned back towards Will, “Is this your new friend?”

Nico was about to protest, to claim that he just met Will and that they weren't friends. He wasn’t even sure if he liked Will or not, his cheerfulness a bit too much for him. A hand clasped his shoulder, startling him before he got a chance to open his mouth.

“Ay, bambino, relax. I came to pick you up”, Bianca laughed, her presence like a breath of fresh air. He quickly nodded as he scrambled to his feet, his hand slipping into hers. 

“What happened with your knees?”, she frowned.

“Um, I..”, he hesitated, biting his lip as he hid behind his bangs, “I fell, I’m sorry.” A traitorous tear slid down his cheek and he quickly wiped it away. Nobody likes a crybaby.

“Hey, bambino, look at me”, Bianca took his chin into her hand, twisting his head softly to meet her eyes, “Nothing to be sorry about. Does it hurt? Do you want me to take a look?”

“You don’t have to!”, Will bounced up to them. He was buzzing with some sort of bubbly energy as he shot a toothy grin Bianca’s way, “I already checked him over and fixed it.” He proudly puffed out his chest, a thumb pointing his way.

“Aw, thank you. That’s really nice”, she ruffled his hair just like his dad did and Will’s smile became all the wider. 

“Can we go now?”, he tugged on her hand.

“Sure, we don’t want to be late for dinner now, do we? Do you want to say bye to your friend?” She clearly meant Will who was standing there, waiting, his eyes expectant and staring him down.

“Uh, bye?”

Will seemed unbothered by his awkwardness. He enthusiastically waved at him, “Bye Death Boy. Be more careful next time!”

Nico ducked his head as he tugged on Bianca to get her to move. The two of them started making their way down the street and towards their home.

“Did you have a nice time with your friends?”, he asked timidly.

“I did”, she said with a smile that was clearly hiding something, “In the end it was just Zoë and me, but we had a good time. Did you enjoy playing with the other kids?”

“Yes”, he lied. He didn’t need her to worry, not her fault that the kids didn’t like him. “Can Jason come over to play?”, he asked instead.

“Doesn’t he have football practice?”

“He does, but he’ll be back home when we finish eating. Please Bia”, his bottom lip jutted out, brown eyes going wide, throwing his puppy eyes at her. She looked at him for a short moment, her resolve visibly crumbling as she sighed.

“Fine. But”, she added quickly, “only if you promise to practice playing the piano when he leaves.”

“Will you help?”

“Of course”, she laughed.

“Then it’s a deal”, he said with a determined nod. Jason was his only friend besides Bianca after all. His cousin was three years older, but they spent a lot of time together considering that he lived in a house next door. Plus, Jason often brought over new video games that he always won despite being the younger of the two.

He and Bianca made their way home in silence, his hurt knees long forgotten. They went into the kitchen where their dad was already waiting for them.

“There you are. Go and wash your hands, Persephone said that the food is ready”, he said as he looked over at their stepmother who was cooking at the stove. They did as they were told, passing Jules on the top floor as he made his rounds in the rooms. Nico raced Bianca on his way down, tripping on his own feet in the process but she was quick to catch him. 

“Dears, don’t run around in the house, you can get hurt”, Persephone kindly warned and both of them immediately stopped. They shuffled around, taking their places at the diner table. “How was school?”, she asked as she passed Nico his plate.

“Okay”, he mumbled, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome sweetheart.” Persephone was always nice to him. Always calling him sweetheart and trying to help him even though he has Bianca. She wasn’t like mamma, but she was okay. 

“Bia?”, Persephone prompted when his sister didn’t answer and instead stared at her food.

Bianca’s head snapped up, eyes wide and a sheepish smile on her face, “Sorry, what?”

“I asked you how school was.”

“Boring. Had a history exam, didn’t do that well. Hung out with Zoë today.” It might’ve been Nico’s imagination, but he could swear that her cheeks changed color.

“You need to focus on school more”, his dad said sternly. 

“I know and I will. Sorry, Papà.” He just nodded in return.

The rest of the diner was spent in silence. Nico mostly played with his food, not feeling hungry. His thoughts went to the grinning boy, Will. He has never seen someone so energetic and just...happy. As much as Nico found him a bit annoying, he couldn’t deny and say that he wasn’t curious about the boy. He just attracted attention with his colorful clothes and a toothy grin. He reminded him of sunny summer days.

“Is everything alright Nico? You've been quiet”, Persephone worried as she took in his almost untouched plate.

“Yes.”

“Are you sure sweetheart?”

“Yes. Can Jason come now?”, he turned to Bianca who was also looking at his plate.

“Eat the rest of your potatoes and then yes”, she instructed. He quickly stuffed his face with the remaining food before running off, almost knocking his chair down in the process.

“Jules”, he called as he climbed on the top floor.

“Si, Nicola?” Jules always called him his full name. He also referred to talk to him in Italien, something about not forgetting his mother language. Nico didn’t really care.

“Can you call Jason for me?”

“Si.” Jules headed for the house phone, Nico following close behind. He quickly dialed the number then offered Nico the phone with a nod and left. Nico patiently waited, biting his lip as the phone gave three sharp rings.

“What?”, the voice on the other end snapped and he recognized it as Thalia’s.

“Give me Jason”, he just said. His cousin was rude and sometimes mean and he wasn’t going to be nice either.

“Fine”, she groaned before yelling, “Jason, come over here. Nico is asking for you:”

A couple of seconds later, Jason’s excited voice boomed into his ear, “Hi Nico!”

“Want to play some games? Bia said you can come”, he quickly explained.

“Sure. I’ll bring the games and you can set everything up!”

“Sure.” Nico hung up before running to his room to set the TV up.

Jason was over in five minutes, arms filled with games and an excited smile across his face as he padded up the stairs and into his room. Nico wasted no time with greetings and instead snatched the first game and started it up. They played for a while with Jules and Persephone checking in on them every once in a while. They didn’t talk much, but they didn’t need to. Nico preferred it that way.

“What happened to your knees?”, Jason asked as he was switching the game.

“Fell”, he said absentmindedly as Jason struggled to open the case.

“Fell or pushed?”, he pried.

Nico froze for a second. Jason knew that the other kids were not that fond of him and he defended him whenever he could. But since he was older, he couldn’t spend time with him in school or on the playground with Nico which left him oftentimes alone. That being said, he defended Nico whenever he could. He even punched one of the older kids once.

“Neeks?”

“I fell”, he concluded, the case finally snapped open.

“You’re laying”, Jason stated.

“Am not!”

“You are. Who pushed you?”

Nico sat down next to him, hands fidgeting in his lap as he avoided looking at his cousin. “Some older kid”, he said finally.

“Do you know which one?”, his hands balled into fists, eyes getting an angry glow.

“No. It doesn’t matter J. I’m okay. Some kid helped me, see”, he didn’t want to mention Will but anything to get Jason off his back.

“Why? Are you friends?”

“No, he wants to be a doctor so he helped me. Can we play now?”

Jason looked at him some more before grabbing his controller again, “Let’s go. I’m going to win this time. Just wait and see!”

“No, you won’t”, he gritted out as he pressed play, his fingers flying over the controls.

Jason left a bit later. It was a school night after all. First grade sucked so far but he had to go. Bianca always said that school is important and he trusted her. He made sure to put his mythomagic cards in his backpack before he climbed into bed, staring at the ceiling. There were small stars stuck up there, Persephone put them a couple of months ago when he first came. He liked them, they reminded him of the night sky back at home. 

He missed home. He also missed mamma. Bianca said that she was watching over him and making sure that he’s okay, but he still missed her. Moving away from Italy was hard for him, but dad promised that he will like it. So far, he didn’t. Kids made fun of him for the way he spoke and avoided him ever since his teacher slipped out why he moved over. 

He sighed before turning over, burying himself under the covers and squeezing his eyes shut to avoid crying. It’ll be better, everyone said so. He just needs to get used to it, give it some more time. Not everyone will be mean, he tried to reassure himself. His mind went back to the playground and how he was all alone there. Not the entire time, his mind supplied. He quickly remembered the colorful boy and his eagerness to help him, but he dismissed the thought with a scoff. The boy just wanted to fix his knees, nothing else.

Soon, he fell asleep, dreaming of sunshine and a toothy grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I also posted the second one since some of my readers already got a preview some time ago on Instagram. You can also find me there @tweet_olympus


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes getting in a bit of trouble is worth it or so it seems

“Will, Will, wake up”, his brother, Austin shook him.

Will’s eyes fluttered open. He squinted up, the light that came from the window too much for him to bear at the moment. “Huh?”, he mumbled.

“Mum said to get up and get ready”, Austin explained as he rummaged through the closet.

Will blinked a few times, his brain wanting to go back to sleep. He flung his starry blanket off, his feet touching the cold wooden floor as he stretched. Why did the school have to be so early? 

He softly padded to the bathroom, grabbed his blue toothbrush and got to work. He loved to smile so brushing his teeth really well was super important, or so his dad said. After that he went back and got set on choosing his clothes. A unicorn shirt was what got his attention that morning and with a smile he put it on. He hoped that the others would like it, too. With his hair pinned back with Kayla’s clips, he headed down the stairs where everyone was already at. Today was the day.

“Morning bud. Slept well?”, his dad asked from where he poured himself some coffee.

“Yes.” He sat down next to Austin, grabbing a bowl and some cereal for himself. 

“Hey, those are mine!”, Kayla protested from across. She was pointing at his hair, her cheeks flaring with red and clashing with her hair.

“So? We can share”, he explained, feeling bad for taking them. Kayla still wasn’t used to the whole sibling and sharing concept. They adopted her only a couple of months ago so it’s taking some time for her to get used to it. For a 5-year-old she was scary smart, but she was also really easy to get mad.

His mum chuckled as she ruffled Kayla’s hair, her pout immediately disappearing. “Kay, your brother just wants to look as nice as you. Don’t you think that it would be nice to share them with him?”

“Fine”, she deflated and went back to her cereal, but not without throwing another stink eye at him.

“What are your plans for today boys?”, his dad prompted as he sat down and joined the family. 

Their small family was at the round table and to anyone else they didn’t look like they all belonged together. Austin sat next to him. He was a year older than Will and he was adopted when Will was 2. With his dark skin, brown hair and eyes they looked nothing alike but the same could be said for Kayla who's green eyes looked ready to strike at any given moment. She sat across from him, trying to steal some food from their mum who sat next to her and was talking to their dad. Their parents didn’t have their marks like the three of them, but they still haven’t explained to him why. Will loved all of them and mornings like that one were his favorite thing in the world. He only wished for them to never stop.

“I have my music lessons after school!”, Austin immediately supplied, “I’ve been practicing a lot.” Austin’s love towards music was shown as soon as he arrived and their parents didn’t hesitate to send him for some music lessons. He was a natural, or so everyone said, and he loved to go. Will loved to listen to him, he just looked really happy and if his brother was happy then so was he. 

“That’s good love, I’m sure that you’ll do great”, mum smiled encouragingly. “What about you Will?”

Will leaped from his seat, “I’m going to finally make some friends today!”, he slammed his tiny fist on the table, making his parents chuckle.

“Sure you will bud”, dad said as he looked at him, but the spark of sadness in his eyes didn’t go unnoticed. But he will. Will will make friends that day. The other kids just couldn’t understand him, but he was sure that they just needed some more time. 

After breakfast, Austin and Will grabbed their backpacks and made their way towards the car. Dad drove them to school on his way to work every morning. Will sat quietly at the backseat as Austin chatted with dad. He liked school, he just didn’t like the kids all that much. And it wasn’t even that he didn’t like kids in general, he just didn’t like the fact that he was made fun of by his peers.

“Good luck boys”, dad called as they left the car, “Be good.”

“We will”, Will replied, his usual grin in place. 

Austin left his side almost immediately, running off to his friends. Will sighed before he made his way to the classroom. It was mostly filled and he obediently took his seat at the front. He ignored the jabs of other boys and the giggles of the girls. They are just jealous, he thought for himself as he doodled in his notebook. 

The teacher came and the class started. Will did what he usually does. He raised his hand and participated in class as much as possible, his enthusiasm bursting out despite him trying to contain it. He knew that it can get annoying, but he couldn’t help himself. Sooner than expected, recess began and all of the kids piled out followed by laughter and cheerful screams. Will joined the crowd, hoping that today was the day when he was going to join the other boys and play soccer. 

He was wrong.

“What do you think you’re doing?”, one of the boys asked as he towered over him.

“Playing soccer?”, he tired, but he knew it was pointless.

Another boy snorted, “Not with that shirt on.” Will glanced down at his shirt. What was wrong with it? He thought it was good, but he also knew exactly what the other boy meant.

“Soccer is for boys, not for girls.” The other boys snickered, nudging and pushing each other as they pointed at him as if he was some kind of circus freak.

“But I am a boy!”, he protested. His cheeks flared red with frustration, foot-stomping down. How many times did he have to tell them this? He was a boy, just like them. 

“You’re not. Boys don’t wear unicorn shirts”, the tallest of them said as he pushed him back. “Just go away.” Will stagger on his feet, landing on his butt. He felt the telltale sign of tears coming out as he stared at the boy with wide eyes. Before he could even react, the boy was suddenly doubled over and gasping for breath. Will’s eyes jumped to the small, dark-haired boy now positioned in front of him.

“Shut the fuck up”, the boy hissed at the bully who was probably twice his size. The other boys behind the bully didn’t react as his rescuer, Will now recognized him as Death Boy from yesterday, swiftly bent down, grabbed Will’s hand and dragged him away.

Will found himself being pushed on the ground behind a huge oak tree not too far away, opened sketchbook and colored pencils strewed next to him. Death Boy looked behind to the crowd of boys now huddled close together before plopping down next to him on the ground.

Will’s tears have been long dried as he looked at the other boy with utter admiration and gratitude. “Uh, t-thank you”, he stuttered out.

“You’re welcome”, the boy mumbled as he stared at his lap with a death glare no 6-year-old should be able to produce.

“Why...why did you do that?”, Will asked after some time. Nobody ever took his side. People usually just stood and watched as he was being pushed around. This was the first time anyone ever did something for him and for that person to be the small, teary-eyed boy from yesterday was just all the more surprising. Who knew that a boy who couldn’t stand up for himself would stand up for him?

“You helped me. Yesterday”, the boy said as he finally looked at him, dark eyes shielded by equally dark bangs. He was pale, but his cheeks were flushed from frustration, small hands still balled into fists. 

Will mutely nodded as his eyes fell on the boy’s knees where he knew two twin scrapes were placed. “I’m Will”, he said after some time, freckled hand extended towards Death Boy.

He nodded, stared at his hand for a couple of seconds before taking it and giving him a small shake. “I know. Heard it from your dad. I’m Nico.”

“Can I still call you Death Boy?”, his toothy grin was back in place as Nico visibly bristled.

“Why?”

“It suits you”, he shrugged.

Nico puffed out his cheeks as he thought before deflating them and nodding, “Sure. I, uh...Don’t listen to them”, he concluded as he averted his eyes again. Wow, he’s really shy, Will thought.

“What?”

“The things they said...they’re wrong. You’re a boy just like them. And, uh, I think your shirt is pretty cool”, his cheeks darkened as he said that, but Will paid it no mind as his heart soared, threatening to burst.

“Really? Thank you!”, he said as he hugged the smaller boy, Will’s cheeks pressed against Nico’s.

Nico squirmed in his hold as he pushed him off but soon enough his lips stretched into a small smile of his own, making his faded mark more prominent, “You’re welcome.”

“Are these yours?”, he took the sketchbook and placed it in his lap.

“Yeah. I like to draw, but...those aren’t good. Not like my sisters”, he fidgeted with the hem of his shirt as he stared at the book as if it had murdered his whole family.

“Well, I think they’re awesome”, Will concluded as he flipped through it, drawings of superheroes and anime characters filling every page.

“Thanks”, Nico whispered as he scooted closer to him. 

“Who’s this?”, he settled on a drawing of a big, dark man with a three-headed dog.

“That’s Hades. He’s my favorite card in mythomagic”, Nico replied as he flipped the page where a drawing of Hades fighting a cyclops could be seen. “He has 5000 attack points but only if your opponent attacks first”, he explained.

“I never played mythomagic”, Will confessed as he looked up at him. Nico’s head snapped up, eyes wide, a spark of excitement visible in them. 

“You didn’t?”, Will shook his head, “I-I can show you. If you’d like”, he offered as he took out a set of cards from his pocket. 

“Sure!” He closed the book and threw it to the side as he placed himself across from Nico, eager to see what the game was all about.

The rest of the recess was spent like that. Nico showed Will how to play his favorite game, explaining to him how the points system worked and which cards should be used in defense and which in the offense. The bell rang and Will deflated as he realized that he has to go back in.

“I have to go, don’t want to miss. Mellie to be mad at me”, he said as he brushed his jeans.

“You’re in the miss. Mellie’s class?”, Nico’s head was tilted to the side like a puppy as he looked up at him.

“Yeah. Why?”

“I’m in that one too.”

“Really?”, Will could feel himself practically vibrating with excitement, a huge grin stretching across his lips as he stared at Nico, “How come I’ve never seen you?”

“I sit in the back”, Nico explained as he stood up.

“Can I sit with you?”, he took him by the wrist, already dragging him back inside.

“Sure”, Nico mumbled as he struggled to follow him back in.

As soon as they were inside, Will ran to his desk and gathered his stuff. Blue eyes searched the classroom, finally finding the mop of black hair all the way in the back. No wonder he hadn’t seen him before. Nico was tiny and quiet and couldn’t be seen at all from Will’s spot. He plopped down next to him, flashing him another smile and earning one in return.

“All right, the break is over”, miss. Mellie announced as she entered the classroom. She froze as her eyes settled on Will’s empty spot, “Where’s Will?”

“Over here, miss”, he raised his hand, giving her an enthusiastic wave. “I changed my spot if that’s okay.”

“Sure it is. I need to speak to Nico first. Nico, can you step outside with me please”, her voice sounded as kind as ever but despite it Nico’s shoulders dropped and with a bowed head he made his way out followed by snickers and whispers from their classmates. 

Fear settled deep into him as he watched Nico go. Will bit his lip, staring at the door. He was probably being scolded right now and all because of Will. Good job Will, you finally made a friend and immediately got him in trouble. Nico probably hates him now. 

The door suddenly opened, miss. Mellie peered in, “Will, can you come over here too?” He scrambled to his feet, tripping on his backpack in the process before he too went out. “Follow me, dear. It’s going to be okay, we just want to ask you a few questions.” He couldn’t do anything else but nod.

He was escorted into a room where Nico and the bully from earlier were sat, both of them looking scared in front of their principal. Will got placed next to Nico who wouldn’t even look at him as he sat with his cheeks puffed and head bowed down. 

“Will, did you get pushed during recess?”, miss Mellie directly asked as soon as she closed the door behind herself. Will glanced at the bully who glared at him with eyes that promised trouble and Nico who’s own eyes pleaded for him to tell the truth. He weighed out his options and finally, he nodded.

“And did this boy push you?” Another nod. “Does it happen often?” He hesitated but gave a slow nod once again. Miss. Mellie sighed, “Okay. I need to call your parents. You three wait right here.”

She left the room once again, this time with the principal in tow. Will’s heart started thundering in panic. He could feel tears gathering in his eyes as he clutched his fists. His dad is going to be disappointed in him. He promised that he’d be good that day. He didn’t mean to do this, all he wanted was to make some friends. 

A small, pale hand found its way into his and when he looked at Nico he found him still staring at his lap, but his eyes flashed with determination. “It’s going to be okay. You did nothing wrong”, he promised and Will believed him.

Turns out, Nico was right. Their parents came and after a long discussion it was decided that Will wasn’t at fault. Nico, unfortunately got a good talking to with a promise of being grounded but he didn’t look bothered by it as he glared at his dad who, like him, glared back. He didn’t know what happened to the bully, but he didn’t care. All that mattered was that it was over now.

“You caused quite a ruckus today, buddy”, dad chuckled as they left the office.

“I’m sorry”, he felt shame burning in his cheeks as he stared at his feet. His dad crouched down so that they were at an eye-level before speaking to him.

“You didn’t do anything wrong. Why didn’t you tell me that the kids were this mean towards you?”, he looked hurt by it and Will’s heart twisted with guilt.

“Didn’t want you to worry”, he mumbled. His dad’s gaze softened as he wrapped him up in a comforting hug which he immediately returned.

“You can tell me anything, buddy, I’ll always be here to listen. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“I’m terribly sorry about this. Nico can be quite impulsive”, Nico’s dad interrupted as the two of them approached them. He was a scary-looking man with a deep voice and a heavy accent that reminded Will of Nico’s.

Nico stomped his foot on the ground as he glared at his dad, “I already told you, I just wanted to help, It wasn’t fair!”

Dad chuckled as he stood up again, “You’ve got quite a firecracker right there. Thank you for defending Will, Nico.”

“You’re welcome”, Nico said before he made his way over to Will, “Are you okay now?”

“Yes”, Will shot him a small smile, hoping to assure him, and by the way Nico’s shoulders dropped it worked. 

“Okay”, he gave a curt nod before turning back to his dad, “Are we going home now?”

“Actually, you’re going home with Mr. Solace here. I have to get back to work”, Nico’s dad explained after talking to his dad for a couple of minutes.

“But why?”

“I’m sorry Nicola. The Solace’s live three houses down anyway, no use in me going back home. Be good, we’ll talk about this when I get home”, he started making his way out before turning back to them, “And no Jason until I say so.”

“What? That’s not fair”, Nico fumed but to no avail, his dad left.

Dad made them go and pick up their stuff before taking their seats in the car. Nico sat all the way against the door, staring out the window with that glare again. Will bit his lip, contemplating what to do before he tapped his shoulder.

“Are you okay Death Boy?”, he asked timidly.

“Yes.”

“You don’t sound okay”, he stated but after no response he continued, “Is it because of Jason?”

Silence, then, “No.”

“You’re lying.”

“You don’t know that”, Nico bristled as he glared at him instead.

“Yes I do. Who’s Jason?”

Nico looked at him for some time before turning towards the window again, “He’s my cousin. And my friend. I have no other friends.” The last bit was said with a whisper, shy and embarrassed and completely opposite of Nico who argued with his dad just fifteen minutes ago.

“Yes you do”, Will said with as much confidence as he could muster.

“No, I don’t.”

“Well, I’m your friend. That means that you do.”

“You are?”, dark eyes widened with disbelief as he looked at him again.

“Yep”, he let a grin take over his face as he nodded back at him. Nico smiled back, looking self-satisfied as he leaned back in his seat.

“Okay”, he whispered.

“And now that we know that we’re neighbors we can hang out every day!”, Will continued. He scooted closer to him, their shoulders touching. Nico didn’t seem to mind.

“That sounds fun”, Nico still sounded shy, but nothing they couldn’t work on.

“Yeah”, Will agreed, his mind buzzing with satisfaction and all of the possibilities that have now been presented to him. Nico will see, he’s going to be the best friend out there. He’ll get to play with him and go to school together and he won’t be too annoying. They could even have sleepovers! Will could bet that Kayla and Austin will like him too. He caught his dad’s gaze in the rearview mirror and he shot him a wink with a proud smile and Will beamed back. 

Yep, he made a friend that day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The boys are just so adorable. See y'all next Wednesday!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's mostly fluff but there small bits of angst so I'm sorry for that

"Happy birthday bambino", Bianca cooed as she woke Nico up. He giggled as she blew raspberries into his neck followed by kisses which did wonders on waking him up.

"Bia, stop", he rasped as he struggled against her. All of it was half-hearted and they both knew it.

"No way. It's not every day that it's my favorite person's birthday", his sister defended before she came back with another assault. 

"Hi, sweethearts", Persephone said as she peered into the room. "Mind if I come in?"

"Of course not", Bianca smiled, as kind as ever, "I should go and set the table up. Be nice, bambino." She placed one more kiss on the top of his head and stood up. Persephone made room for Bianca to exit before quietly shutting the door and coming towards the edge of his bed.

"Can I sit down?" Nico gave a small nod as he lifted himself up into a sitting position. "Thank you. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes", and then after some time, "I dreamt of mamma."

Persephone's gaze turned sad as she ran a hand through his tangled hair and scooted closer, "Did she say anything to you?"

"She was here, in my room", he said with a small smile, dark eyes distant, "She told me that she made me breakfast and that I should hurry before Bia eats it." Persephone didn't say anything, she just sat there and listened to him. "She also told me to be a good boy and that she's watching over me." His bottom lip trembled as he directed a sad gaze at his stepmother.

"Of course she is, sweetheart", she embraced him against her chest as the first tears fell. He didn’t want to cry on his birthday. What would mamma say? He wouldn’t usually be this open to hugging her, but in times like these it didn’t matter to him, so instead he only wrapped his arms around her slim waist. "She loves you very, very much."

"I miss her", he managed to choke out. It has been hard for him to accept the fact that he was never going to see his mamma again. She had been very sick and dad has been there the entire time. They managed to move to America before her body gave out, buried her there so that they could visit her. It has only been a bit under a year, but it still made him sad. Why did all of the other kids get to keep their mums, but he didn't?

"I know", she said as she stroked his hair, "Tell you what, after breakfast, we'll go and visit her. Sounds like a plan?"

Nico's heart immediately felt lighter as he gazed up at her, "Yes. Will dad and Bia come too?"

"We'll ask them, but the two of us are going for sure", she reassured. "Go and get dressed, they're waiting for us downstairs."

He quickly detangled himself from the sheets before making a run to the bathroom. Fifteen minutes later, with his teeth brushed and fresh clothes on, the two of them made their way down.

"Buon compleanno Nicola", Jules greeted as he entered the kitchen.

"Grazie, Jules." He bounded towards his seat where the rest were already waiting for him. "Is that…?", he trailed off with amazement.

"Yeah, just like mamma always made. Try it", his sister urged as he grabbed a fork and plunged into his breakfast.

Even one bite was enough to bring back the memories of previous birthdays and all of the times his mother made it for him. Every year was the same, for his, for Bianca's and for dad's birthday. He remembers one year when he and Bianca tried to make it, but failed miserably. In the end, Jules helped them and their mum cried when she saw it.

"Thank you", he said between the bites.

"Don't talk with your mouth full", his dad chided, but there was no bite behind it. Even he looked happy that day.

Persephone presented them with the idea of visiting mum that day while they were eating. Neither of them could go. Bianca already made plans with her friends and dad had to go to work, but both promised to come to his party later and that was enough for him.

He couldn't really call it a party. Parties required more than four people for sure. But Nico didn't mind, he didn't need more. Kids at school were as mean as ever and he didn't plan on inviting any of them despite Bianca telling him he should. Having her, Jason and Will was enough. 

"Seeing as we are talking about birthdays, here you go son", his dad said as he offered him a nicely wrapped gift. He took it before placing it in front of himself. 

"Thank you", he said absentmindedly, too occupied by unwrapping it. He tore through the wrapping as carefully as he could, revealing a shiny dog collar with a golden pendant. His hands froze as he stared at it, head tilted to the side. "Uh", was all he managed to say after a couple of seconds of confusion.

He glanced up and was met by three sets of eyes staring at him with wide smiles. Well, two wide smiles, dad was trying. His eyes jumped from person to the other but none of them made any comments. 

"It's a dog collar", he stated in the end.

"As observant as always", his father teased. Bianca covered her mouth with the back of her hand to muffle a giggle as she stared at him. Nobody offered anything else.

"Jules", he called in the end, "Are they messing with me?"

"Non lo so", was all he said before he exited the kitchen. Nico pouted as he glared at the three of them.

“Bambino, what do we say when we receive a gift?”, Bianca prompted.

“Thank you”, he said curtly as he placed the collar on the table. Did he miss something? Why would they give a dog collar to a 7-year-old? 

Dad left soon after with another promise of being back in time for the party. Nico patiently waited on the steps for Persephone to get ready so that they could leave. He played with the collar he got, still not understanding what he was supposed to do with it. In the end, he stuffed it into his pocket before moving on to play with a friendship bracelet Will gave him months ago. 

Will didn’t leave his side for a second since they became friends. He made sure to sit with him in school and spend every recess together. They would often go out and play together in the woods behind their houses and in recent weeks, they played in the snow. Will’s siblings didn’t like him a lot. Kayla even said that he’s too lame, but Will defended him with a vigor a kid their age shouldn’t have and it made Nico happy. He no longer saw Will as annoying, instead, he became Nico’s favorite thing in the world, with his endless chattering and playfulness.

“Ready to go?”, Persephone’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He dropped the colorful bracelet, the only colorful thing he owned, and jumped up to his feet.

“Yes, let’s go.” By the time Persephone managed to zip up her coat, he was already by the car, impatiently jumping up and down. The carlock snapped open and he was in his seat in a second. The car ride to Persephone’s shop was quiet, with only the radio filling the silence. They gathered a bouquet of beautiful white roses secured by a red ribbon before going to the graveyard. Nico carefully laid the flowers down, dropping to his knees and ignoring the wet marks that will be left there once he gets up.

“Hey mamma”, he whispered as he brushed the snow off from the white stone, “I just wanted to say hi. It’s my birthday today”, he felt the need to inform, but she already knew that no doubt, “Wish you could be here with us. We’re all okay. Hope you’re okay too.”, he stayed there for some more time, just kneeling in silence and feeling the cold wind bite his cheeks. He was never good with words, never knew what or how to say it so he just got up and went back to his stepmom with a quiet bye and a promise of being back soon. “We can go now”, he informed her. 

With a small nod, she led him to the car and back home. He went straight to his room, burying himself under a blanket and letting himself be consumed by its warmth. It was harder than he thought. This whole birthday thing. Bianca didn’t even celebrate hers back in the summer, the pain too fresh to be bothered as something like that. He felt guilty for celebrating it without her, but everybody reassured him that it was okay to do so and that it was what she’d want for him. 

He doesn’t remember falling asleep, but he remembers Jules waking him up and telling him that Jason was waiting downstairs. With a fuzzy brain and a slow step, he went down only to be tackled into a bone-crushing hug. 

“Happy birthday Neeks”, his cousin yelled in his ear. Nico flinched back as Jason continued to blabber on and on about him growing up and how he was proud of him. He was only 10, what was he on about, Nico thought.

“Get off of me Jason”, he said as he pushed back, but Jason’s hold only tightened. 

“No! You never let me hug you”, he whined.

“That’s because I don’t like your hugs” He explained while kicking him in the shin and with a yelp he was released. Jason fell down, clutching at his hurt leg and rolling all over the carpet. “Why are you like this?”

“Why are you always mean towards me?”, Jason countered. It wasn’t Nico’s fault, he loved Jason, but he didn't have any boundaries. 

Nico plopped down on the couch as he waited for the older boy to recover. He spotted a nicely wrapped present on the table and, with newfound eagerness, he reached towards it. His hand got slapped away and he watched as the present got snatched up.

He glared at his sister who only directed him a mocking smile before she moved the present into the other room. “You’ll get it later when everyone is here”, she explained, “By the way, the girls wished you a happy birthday and Zoë sent you a small gift too.” That made him feel better, so with a huff, he settled back down. 

Jason was up fairly quickly, talking his ear off about his latest football practice and what he and Reyna were up to. Reyna was Jason’s best friend, which Nico was yet to meet. Jason also told him about a boy called Percy from the opposing team which seemed to be Jason’s rival on the field. Nico never saw any of Jason’s games, but he was promised to be taken to one next year. Sports were never his thing, but he still wanted to see it. 

His dad returned home sometime during Jason’s third or fourth explanation of what Percy did during the last game which only left one person to come. Nico’s leg bounced up and down as he glanced at the clock despite still not being able to read it one hundred percent correct. If he got it right, Will was supposed to be there any second now. The doorbell rang and Nico was by the door in an instant. With his chest still rising and falling from the quick run, he flung the door open only to reveal the face of his smiling best friend.

“Happy birthday Death Boy!”, Will exclaimed as he threw himself at him, his present falling to the ground. Nico was quick to return the hug, feeling content in Will’s embrace. Besides Bianca, Will was the only person he felt comfortable hugging. He smelled like lemons and honey and Nico loved it. 

“Thank you Sunshine”, Nico said as the two detached. Will’s face split into his signature grin, now missing a front tooth, upon hearing his nickname. It was the name Nico gave him during their first week of friendship. Will just reminded him too much of everything bright and sunshiny and it slipped before he could stop himself. Will’s smile when he first heard it was worth it so Nico suffered from the teasing from everyone else in order to keep making him happy.

The boys made their way inside, disposing of Will’s present on the pile with the rest before Will went to greet everyone else. Everyone in the house loved him and Will just brought a spark of brightness wherever he went. Jules was probably his favorite person though, the stoic butler much too amusing as he tried to engage him in any sort of conversation. 

They got treated by various sweets and snacks as the three boys went to Nico’s room to play videogames and mythomagic. Will was pretty rubbish at it but he didn’t give up and Nico had to give him credit for it even as he destroyed him for the fifth time in the row. He didn’t seem to mind as he flicked his forehead and laughed it off before starting another round. 

“One more and then we can quit”, Nico bargained as Jason complained about wanting cake. He blew at his dark bangs that fell into his eyes for what seemed like the hundredth time in the last hour. His bangs suddenly moved away and, upon glancing up, he found Will leaning over the cards, tongue poking out, just like it did whenever he patched Nico’s scrapes up, and securing his bangs on top of his head. Nico’s hand flew up only to feel a small clip being put there, probably the one that Will was now missing. 

“Thanks”, he said, but he could feel his cheeks heating up despite himself.

“No problem”, Will beamed. 

The boys lost, again, and Nico proudly bounded back down where everyone was already waiting with a nicely decorated cake on the table. The cake was made by Jules, completely chocolate and with silver sprinkles on top, just like Nico liked it. He blew the candles after suffering through the annoying birthday song in both English and Italian. Everybody clapped and cheered and he had to duck his face down to hide his blushing cheeks. He could never get used to any kind of attention.

“Can you open my present now?”, Will pleaded as he tugged his hand. They already ate the cake and everybody was now happily chattering around the table. Nico glanced at Bianca and upon receiving an affirmatory nod, he raced the other two boys towards the pile of presents waiting for them in the living room.

“Mine first!”, Jason exclaimed before throwing a blue box in his lap. 

“Not fair!”, Will protested. Nico chuckled before ripping through the paper and throwing it over his shoulder.

“Thanks, J”, he said once he found his hands on a new set of video games his cousin got him. 

“Mine next!” Will’s present was wrapped in a rainbow-colored paper and, really, what else could he expect from a boy who was wearing a green sweater with yellow stripes all over it. Will got him a black shirt with a silver sequin skull and Nico almost laughed when he saw it. Will really was something special and he told him so once he thanked him. The blond boy couldn't do anything else but smile at him, his freckled cheeks turning a shade darker. “You’re such a dork”; he commented as he opened the rest.

Bianca got him a Hades mythomagic figurine and he couldn’t stop hugging her for ten minutes, it was the only one he was missing to have the complete Big Three set after all and from her friend he got a matching Persephone one.

“That only leaves us”, Persephone said as she stood up. 

“But you already gave me your gift”, his mind went back to the collar still stuffed in his pocket.

“That was only a part of it”, she winked, “Come”, she left the room with Bianca and Jason close behind. Nico sat there with Will for a couple of seconds before he felt the other boy’s hand slip into his.

“Let’s go Death Boy.” Hand in hand, the two of them made their way into the front hallway only for both of them to stop short. 

Standing there, with a rottweiler puppy in his hands and surrounded by the rest of his family, was his dad. He was giving him a wide smile as he lowered the puppy on the ground with the words, “Happy birthday son”, leaving his mouth.

The puppy staggered on his feet before he stood straight. He had a red ribbon on top of his head and was probably the most adorable thing Nico has ever seen. 

“Oh my God, he’s so cute”, Will gushed as he shook his arm in excitement. 

“Is he..is he really for me?”, Nico asked as he still stood in his spot, afraid to move in case he read the situation wrong. 

“Why else would we give you a dog collar?”, Persephone chuckled.

With slow steps, he approached the puppy. He dropped down, Will close behind as the puppy sniffed his hand, giving it a small, wet lick. He giggled and stroked it’s head, watching as its tail wagged happily from side to side. 

“What’s his name?”, he asked after some time.

“He’s yours. You should name him bambino”, Bianca watched him with a happy smile as the puppy tried to climb into his lap.

He stroked it some more, lost in thought before settling on, “Cerberus. I want his name to be Cerberus”, he said with a determined nod.

“Cerberus it is”, his father agreed with a nod of his own, his smile still on.

“He’s so adorable, I could die”, Will gushed as he looked at Cerberus with his blue eyes. He was practically shaking with excitement, fingers twitching, but still not moving a muscle. 

Nico scooped the puppy up before turning towards his best friend, “Want to pet him?”, he offered.

“Can I?” After another nod, Will slowly offered a freckled hand to the puppy who happily licked it just like it did with Nico’s. Will laughed lightly before his hands were all over Cerberus, coos and awws escaping him as he admired the happy furball in Nico’s hands. Dork, Nico thought as he watched his best friend laugh in delight.

The rest of the night was practically a blur as the boys played with the dog, amused by the way he tripped over his own feet and how he failed to bite any of their fingers. Cerberus was interested in everything and everyone around and couldn’t seem to decide where to go next as he happily barked and wagged his tail.

Despite missing his mum, Nico couldn’t have wished for a better birthday.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, finally getting around to actually introducing the entire soulmate part of this lol. Also, we are entering the next arc in which they are older and fair warning this is where the angst starts.

A soulmark. That’s what the faded out patch on his lip was called.

A mark that told everyone and anyone that you have someone special out there destined just for you, someone perfect for you, your soulmate.

At least that’s what Will’s parents told him. Ever since they did, about three weeks ago, he hasn’t stopped thinking about it. He stared at it and poked it and waited as if it would point him towards his soulmate, but to no avail. The patch remained faded and suited on his bottom lip and he was still the regular old Will.

A kiss, his brain supplied. 

And yes, he hasn’t stopped thinking about it either. The fact that you needed to kiss another person in order to determine if they are your soulmate or not. A kiss that should produce sparkles and fireworks and be the best feeling in the world. But only if you did it right.

“Remember buddy, if you kiss a wrong person, your soulmate will know”, his dad told him that day. 

“How?”, he asked, his brain puzzled. 

“It will hurt them, make them feel pain.”

It was as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped over his head at those words. All of the fantasies of finding his soulmate as quickly as possible vanished and were instead replaced by a fear of doing something wrong, of hurting his perfect person. He couldn't have it. So he buried all of the ideas of even trying it in the back of his head, determined to let them sit there until later.

But still, he couldn’t help but sneak glances at the mark, he couldn’t help his late-night thoughts and musings. It’ll happen one day, his parents promised. He just needed to be patient. So with that in mind, he rushed out of the bathroom and down into the kitchen.

“Mum, I’m going out”, he yelled as he grabbed a chocolate bar he stored behind some kitchen towels. His room wasn’t a safe place, Kayla can practically smell them in there.

“Have fun”, his mum yelled from somewhere in the house by the time Will closed the door behind himself. 

With a skip in his step, he made his way towards the di Angelo house. Nico wasn’t free yesterday so he hoped that that day he’ll be able to come out and play with him. The hot summer sun burned at the back of his neck and he could already feel sweat dampening his curls. He loved summer, it was probably his favorite season. He loved the sun and the hot weather and all of the colorful clothes. 

He tugged at the hem of his shirt as he waited for someone to open the door. The chocolate bar in his pocket was probably already melting, but he knew that Nico wouldn’t mind. 

The door flung open, but instead of his best friend, he was met by his butler. “Hey Jules! Is Death Boy home?”, he grinned. 

“Nicola went out an hour ago. I assumed he was with you”, Jules drawled in his usual lazy and thickly accented voice. 

Will gave a slow nod as he mulled his brain over where Nico could be. He didn't have to think for long though so with a quick bye, he sprinted into their backyard, through the fence, and into the deep forest. The dead leaves crunched under his feet, branches snapping as he carelessly stepped on them. 

The smell of the forest was familiar, dewy and fresh. He welcomed the dark shadows as the cool air soothed his already overheated skin. The search for Nico wasn’t a long one. They spent most of their time there after all. He found the black-haired boy slouched on a fallen tree, his head buried deep into his folded arms and with small sniffs coming through.

Will’s steps slowed down as he took a now familiar sight. He sighed, shook his head, the smile completely disappearing from his face as he sat down next to him. He didn’t need to say anything, instead, he wrapped his arm around Nico’s shoulder, lifted him up and allowed him to slouch against his side instead. 

Nico immediately wrapped his arms around Will’s waist, his nose pressed against Will’s neck as he tried to calm himself down. Will just held him tightly, fully aware that there was nothing he could do to stop Nico’s pain.

“How bad was it today?”, he asked him eventually, his voice barely a whisper, too afraid of breaking him even more than he already has been.

“Bad. It’s getting worse”, Nico muttered, his voice broken as he just tightened his hold on Will. Will sighed once more as he started rubbing soothing circles on Nico’s back, just like his mum always does when he is sad. 

And this is the reason as to why both of them found out just what soulmates were at the age of 10 and not later like most. Nico’s sister, Bianca, was suffering from her soulmate bond. He remembered the day when she came to check on them in Nico’s room as they played video games. Her broken scream will probably be etched in his brain forever. 

The two of them watched as she collapsed, wide eyed and scared. Her scream had been interrupted by a broken sob as her whole body writhed on the floor, bruises appearing on her skin as if by magic. Neither of them could react. Will’s heart was beating so fast he thought it was going to jump out of his chest. They just stood there and watched as she slowly stopped moving, tears still streaming down her face as she whimpered. By the time he managed to move his hand, the door burst open and in came Jules. 

He casted one look at her, his face immediately filled with sympathy and sadness as he ushered them out and into the living room. Both of their parents came, faces apologetic and concerned as they slowly explained everything to them. 

Will fully understood the cost of a wrong kiss. 

A wrong kiss could cause pain, too many of them could kill. It all depended on the frequency of the kisses, the feelings from both sides and a million other things he couldn’t even wrap his head around. The point was, kissing a wrong person isn’t bad for you, but it’s terrible for your soulmate.

“How can she do this to her, Sunshine?”, Nico whispered.

“I don’t know Death Boy”, dread filled his chest, threatening to make him sick as he rocked both of them from side to side.

“It isn’t fair”, Nico gritted out as he fisted Will’s shirt, his whole frame shaking. 

“I know.” And it wasn’t. Bianca’s case was worse than just random wrong kisses. Her soulmate rejected her and was fully aware of what she was doing to the poor girl. It didn’t seem like she was going to stop at all, fully determined to ignore the bond and leave Bianca to suffer. 

They knew about this for three weeks, but it has probably been going on for a lot longer than that and it didn’t seem like it was going to stop anytime soon. 

“C’mere”, Will muttered as he finally lifted Nico up, straightening him in his seat and moving the tear soaked hair out of his face. He gently wiped away the tears that streaked the pale cheeks, watching as Nico closed his eyes and nuzzled into his hand. 

“Here, brought you this”, he offered the other boy the half-melted chocolate. With a small smile and a quiet thanks, Nico accepted it before giving him half of it back. They munched on it in silence, both of them lost in thought over the whole situation.

Nico was taking it really bad. He started spending more and more of his time in the house and by Bianca’s side, distancing himself from everyone, even from Will. The sad gaze never left his eyes, his shoulders seemingly permanently slouched. The black clothes never suited him better and Will never hated it more. 

He did everything he could to make him smile, to make him feel better even if it was just for a moment. He desperately wished to wipe all of the pain away from his face and chase it away from him. But nothing he did seemed to work. 

Nico’s smaller hand found it’s way into his and Will tightened his hold, squeezing the pale fingers as if to say, “It’s okay. I’m here.” He hoped that Nico got the message.

“I went there”, Nico suddenly stated.

Will snapped out of his worries, his attention fully turned towards the other boy. His eyebrows scrunched up, “Went where?”

“To her place”, and Will knew that by ‘her’ Nico meant Bianca’s soulmate, “I begged her to stop. And you wanna know what she did?”

His throat was suddenly dry, “What?”.

Nico gave a bitter chuckle, too bitter for a 10-year-old, “She laughed, told me to fuck off. So I kicked her.”

“You didn’t”, he gasped.

He watched as Nico’s eyes glittered, wide and amused as he nodded, “I did. She deserved it. I would’ve done more if she didn’t close the door in my face.”

“Well, good thing you didn’t.”

“What do you mean?”

“If you did, you’d get grounded and then who'd listen to me complain about Kayla?”, he earned a small laugh from Nico, counting it as a small victory.

“I won’t stop”, Nico said as they made their way out of the forest, hearts a bit lighter and feeling calmer than before now that they got each other. 

“What?”

“I won’t stop going. I’m going to bother her until she gives up. That’s the only thing I can do.”

“Then I’m going with you”, Will blurted before he could stop himself. He didn’t regret it though. The idea was ridiculous and will probably get them in trouble, but if it meant helping Nico then so be it. 

“You don’t have to, Sunshine”, his eyes softened as they stopped at his backdoor. 

“But I want to”, he grinned at him, hoping to reassure him and show him that he was okay with it, “I want to help so if it means banging on some crazy girl’s door then let’s do it.” He pumped his fist in the air, getting into the whole idea and the role of a fighter for justice that needed to be delivered.

“Dork”, Nico laughed. 

“Are you boys coming in or not? Dinner is on the table”, Persephone called from the inside.

He didn’t even realize how late it was. The sun was slowly setting, coloring the sky in deep reds and oranges as the hot air slowly cooled. Soon, everything will be enveloped in the dark with only soft sounds of the bugs to keep you company. 

“Will you stay?”, his hand was being held tightly, dark eyes pleading and hopeful as he chewed on his lip. 

“Yeah”, he concluded after a couple of seconds, “I just need to call my mum and tell her I’m here.”

“Consider it done.” He was pulled into the house, the doors slamming shut as Nico led them to the downstairs bathroom to wash their hands before joining the family at the dinner table. With Nico’s dad at the head and Persephone next to him, Will sat down on his usual spot, next to Nico and across from Bianca.

The older girl looked pale and drained. Her luscious black locks now looked dull and matted, falling over her face and covering half of it. He could see bruises adorning her arms and face, no cuts...yet. She directed a small smile their way, lacking the usual and familiar spark.

"Hey, bambini", she greeted, “You've been out for a long time. Is the forest really that interesting?"

"Hi Bia", Will smiled. He loved her, just like he loved everyone there. They were like a second family to him. He felt sad, knowing that a person he considered his older sister was now suffering and he could just sit and watch. 

"It was fun", Nico answered, his fork grazing the food, but none of it made its way into his mouth. Worried looks were exchanged between their parents, concern seeping out of them as they watched their two kids. Will watched Nico play with his food for another five minutes before he nudged him with his knee. 

"Eat. For me", he pleaded. Ever so slowly, Nico started eating. He didn't eat much, not as much as he used to, but it was better than nothing. He had to keep on nudging him and telling him to eat though, something that made him even more concerned than he already was.

"Will", Mr. di Angelo called as they finished their meal, "Come with me", his tone left no room for questions so Will scrambled on his feet, following him into his workroom.

"Close the door, per favore", he sat down behind his work desk, motioning for the empty chair across from him.

"No need to be scared", he chuckled as he watched Will squirm in his seat, worrying his bottom lip with his teeth, "I just want to talk to you about something. I trust that your parents have explained the whole soulmate and soulmark thing to you."

"Yes, sir", he stuttered out. No matter how much he saw the man, he was still scared of him. It was probably his dark clothes and the permanent frown that did it though. The accent definitely didn't help. Nico has a lot of his, but Mr. di Angelo definitely didn't.

"Then you realize how delicate this whole situation is", this was something he liked about the dark man, the fact that he didn't treat him as a kid and that he was straight to the point. He nodded. "Good", he sighed as he relaxed into his chair, tense shoulders dropping, "Nico hasn't been taking it well as you have noticed. All I want from you is to be there for him. Can you promise me that? That you'll be there for Nicola and keep him happy. You're the only person who seems to be able to."

"I promise sir. I'll always be there for him, especially now", he almost stumbled on his words in his rush to get them out, eager to prove himself worthy of the task that was presented to him. 

"Good. I know you will. You can go now", his attention went to some papers that were placed in front of him, marking the end of the conversation.

"Uh, night sir", Will stuttered from the doorframe.

"Goodnight", he said absentmindedly. 

"Everything okay?", Nico's voice scared him as he almost bumped into the smaller boy. He released a small yelp, his hand flying up and clutching at his chest as he sighed in relief.

"You scared me", he laughed, "Yeah, everything is okay. He just wanted to ask me something, nothing to worry about."

Nico looked at him for a couple of seconds, eyes searching his face for a trace of a lie. One he found none, he nodded, "Okay. Do you want some ice cream? We have some in the fridge."

"Sure." He followed him into the kitchen where Nico handed him a popsicle before leading them back out. They plopped onto a swing set that was placed there as they ate their desserts. Will swayed a bit, looking at Nico from the corner of his eye from time to time. He was sitting still, absentmindedly picking at the end of his black shorts as the popsicle melted over his fingers, cheeks puffed as he thought.

“What’s wrong?”, he stopped, eyes never straying away from the smaller boy. Nico shrugged as he finally started eating his treat. “It’ll be okay. She’ll be okay. We'll find a way”, Will said after some time.

“And what if we don’t?”, his voice was so quiet that Will might’ve missed it if he wasn’t so attentive to the other boy. He wasn’t looking at him, but he knew that he was on the verge of crying again.

“We will.” They didn’t talk anymore, both of them aware of how pointless it is. Aware that those were just empty promises. The future wasn’t so bright.

Will left soon afterward, but not before hugging Nico tightly, promising to be there tomorrow again and every other day after. He knew that what was coming won’t be nice and that it will be painful for all of them. 

That night, he didn’t think about his soulmate. Instead, he thought about his friend’s broken face and the sadness that followed him. He had to swallow the tears as he fitfully fell asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The angst is getting stronger with this one. Also, yey for some backstory on Nico's parents?

“Come”, Will said as he tugged Nico’s hand. Nico barely glanced up at him as he let himself be dragged towards the school bus and pushed into a window seat. His head fell on Will’s shoulder, eyes blinking tiredly as he clung to his heat.

He hasn’t been sleeping well recently. And by recently he meant for months. Ever since Bianca’s soulmate bond started causing her so much pain he had troubles sleeping. His dark circles were not something a 10-year-old should have, but he couldn’t be bothered. He spent his time by Bianca’s side, talking to her or just sitting in silence as she went around her room.

She went to college but was staying at home so that she could spare everyone her screams and sobs. He lost count on how many nights he spent outside her door, the silence filled by her sniffles as she cried herself to sleep.

He hated Zoë Nightshade. The girl has been his sister’s best friend of four years and, quite coincidentally, her soulmate. Bianca had a crush on her for a long time and one night at a party they kissed, or so she has told him. They found out that they were soulmates then, but Zoë was in love with markless Artemis, so she rejected her in favor of chasing the other girl. 

Bianca didn’t tell him much after that. He knows that the two girls were dating at this point. For a long time, actually. Bianca’s love for the girl only intensified the pain of misplaced kisses that were distributed carelessly by the looks of it. 

He and Will stalked Zoë the whole summer. Pestering, pleading, and praying that she’ll just stop. Just stop the whole kissing thing but the girl never budged. She still did it and he still had to watch his sister suffer.

“Eat this”, Will forced a sandwich into his hands. He opened his mouth to protest but was cut by a stern, blue gaze. “Save it. I know you didn’t eat, Death Boy.” His voice had a final tone to it so with a sigh he settled back down and bit into the sandwich. Peanut butter and jelly, his favorite ever since he moved to America.

He was once again a laughing stock in school. Somehow, unbeknownst to him, a rumor has spread around about Bianca’s condition. Maybe somebody saw her walking around, the unique soulbond bruises adorning her skin alongside bandaged up cuts, or maybe it was one of her traitorous friends? Whoever it was, they did a good job and now everybody was once again whispering and pointing at him as he passed through the hallways. 

He now understood better the whole situation with his mum. Dad did his best to explain it to him after this whole fiasco began. His parents were not soulmates and that news was a hard one to bear once it was delivered. His mother lived in Italy where they met, markless and beautiful if his dad’s words were anything to go by. 

They fell in love despite the obvious obstacle. But there is a difference between these two situations. His parents didn’t kiss after their first failed attempt. They nourished their love and let it grow, producing the two of them out of it. Persephone came into the picture when Nico was 2. She worked as his dad’s assistant and despite herself, she tested the bond and turns out her hunch was right. It was a hard thing to accept, but his dad told him that he never once stopped loving the three of them, his heart just made room for one more person and Nico believed him. 

But he couldn’t tell any of that to his peers, now could he? He couldn’t explain to them that he wasn’t a bastard child or some mistake or that his father didn’t cheat on his mother. He couldn’t explain that there was nothing wrong with his situation. So, he had to suffer.

Neglecting a soulbond is one of the worst things a person could do. Everybody who knew anything about soulmates knew that. This time, people weren’t laughing as much as they used to. This time he was a pitiful sight and was met by sympathetic and sourful faces wherever he went in most cases. And he hated it.

He held on tightly to Will’s hand as the blond navigated through school and into their classroom. He dropped on his seat, absentmindedly pulling his stuff out of his backpack as the rest of the class piled in. 

He felt something being pushed into his hand and, when he glanced down, he found his sketchbook being offered to him by a freckled hand. He shot Will a questioning look only to receive a tight smile in return.

“Draw”, was all he said. He gingerly accepted the sketchbook, not feeling the will to do so, but opening it and picking up his pencil despite himself. Will was just trying to help and he knew it. He was endlessly grateful for having him, the boy was the only bright spot in his life as he watched over him and made sure he was feeling okay. He drew, it was one of the few things he still somewhat enjoyed. Drawing was always a way to escape for him, to escape the harsh reality and bitter truth.

The day passed in a blur as he basically slept through his classes and soon he found himself in front of the school again. Will stood by his side as the two of them waited for Jason to come and pick them up. They promised to come and see his small game even though neither of them felt like going. Soon, the familiar car of Jason’s driver rolled in front of them.

Argus sat wordlessly at the front, eyes fixed on the road as the three of them chatted. Well, Jason did most of the chatting, Nico kept quiet, gaze fixed on the window.

“...and we’re playing against Percy. I can’t wait to show that Seaweed Brain what’s up”, he said as he pumped his fists. Nico’s heart skipped a small beat at the mention of the other boy's name. Percy Jackson, a star swimmer and football player in his school, Jason’s former rival. Nowadays, the boys had more of a friendship induced by rivalry type of relationship. 

The first time he saw Percy, he was seven. He was mesmerized by the other boy. His amazing skills on the field, the way he laughed and joked around as Jason fumed in front of him, the way he playfully nudged Nico’s side with a wink as he joked on his cousin’s account. 

Nico was quick to declare a crush on him to Bianca and later Will. The fact that it was a boy and not a girl didn’t phase him at all as his thoughts became occupied by the laidback boy with dark hair and sea-green eyes. He hid his crush well, coming off rather cold and rude most of the time, but it was better than the older boy finding out for sure.

He oftentimes got teased for it by Will who didn’t miss a chance to nudge his side with a wink. He only rolled his eyes and glared at him. Right now, crushes were the farthest thing he cared about.

“Perseus will be coming to mine later”, Jason suddenly said and that got Nico’s attention.

“Didn’t know the two of you were that close”, he mumbled.

Jason looked apologetic as he shrugged with a sheepish smile, “Yeah, we, uh, kind of got closer lately. Don’t know. But he’ll be coming over to hang out and...yeah. I’m sorry Neeks, I know you don’t like him that much”, Nico bristled at the words as Will tried to stifle a giggle,” But, he’s still my friend, so...yeah.”

“It’s okay.” They didn’t talk about it anymore.

The game was just as much of a blur as the school has been as he sat in the stands, trying and failing to clap when needed. Will was into it, cheering and howling with the crowd. It didn’t seem to matter which team scored or who was in the lead as he cheered for both.

“Why both?”, he asked him.

“Because I like them both. Plus, I don’t want either of them to get mad at me for choosing a side”, he replied with a grin.

“Dork”, was all Nico had to say at that as he went back to staring at the small stain in front of him. 

He clung to Will’s side as they waited for Jules to come and pick them up after the game, too tired to be bothered by Percy’s presence next to him.

“You can’t be serious”, Jason gasped.

“I’m sorry, bro”, Percy rubbed the back of his neck as he avoided Jason’s gaze, “I just like swimming better so it’s better to focus on it. This is my last season.”

“But, but, but...You can’t! How do you expect me to play without you there?!”

“Dude, calm down, you’ll be fine. Besides, we can still be friends despite it, right?”, his eyes were hopeful as he gazed at Jason and Nico couldn’t help the small spark of jealousy he felt at the moment.

“Yeah, yeah, of course”, Jason’s gaze softened as he squeezed Percy’s shoulder. Nico had to look away, the bitterness becoming too much.

“Here’s Jules. Bye guys, great game as usual! “, Will called as he pulled him into the car. Nico didn’t get a chance to say bye as the door shut in front of him.

“Are you okay?”, Will immediately asked.

“Yes, why?”

“You look paler than usual and, dunno, you had a weird look on your face”, he explained as he pressed the back of his hand against his forehead. 

Nico slapped his hand away, “I’m fine Sunshine, don’t worry. Just a bit tired.” Will only nodded.

They dropped Will off before Nico found himself at his front door. He stared at it, dreading the return home, to the dark and cold house filled with pain and sadness. He knew that there was nothing but a sorrowful atmosphere waiting for him, knew that he’ll find his sister curled on the bed or trying to do her work, and getting frustrated that she couldn’t. Knew that he couldn’t do anything to help.

“Stai bene?”, Jules asked as he passed by and opened the door.

“Si”, he gritted out before stepping in.

He didn’t bother calling out, knowing that his parents were at work so he just headed up the stairs. He dropped his bag off in his room and went to Bianca’s immediately afterward. Without a knock, he twisted the knob. She was listening to music, eyes closed, face relaxed as much as it could be with the constant pain.

“Hey Bia”, his voice was soft as he climbed into bed with her.

“ Hey bambino”, she went for a smile, but it was just a shadow of what it used to be, “How was school? The game?”

“Okay. Will said hi. He sent you this”, he offered her a brightly colored friendship bracelet that Will made. She gently took it, examined it, and, with a smile, put it on.

“Thank him for me, will you? He’s such a good boy.”

“I will”, he promised, “H-how are you feeling?” He was always afraid of asking that question, knowing that it pained both of them to talk about it, but feeling the need to ask anyway.

Her gaze softened as she lifted herself, her hand cupping his pale cheek, “I’m okay. Don’t worry about me.” 

“You know I can’t do that.”

“Try. It’s not worth it”, her voice was so sad and broken that it caused Nico’s heart to clench and his eyes to water.

“Yes it is”, he said against the tremble of his bottom lip, “Don’t ever say that again.”

“Oh, Nico, mio soldatino, you’ll understand when you’re older. There is nothing to be done, I already did everything that I could. No use in crying over spilled milk.” 

She talked about herself as if she was just a mere broken object, just some inconvenience that was going to end sooner or later as if she wasn’t a human being who was being hurt in the most heartless way. There was finality in her words, something that told him that she made her peace with everything and it hurt him more than he could explain.

He wiped his nose with the back of his hand before jumping off the bed, “Take some rest”, he said without looking at her. “I’ll come and call you for dinner.” 

He threw himself on his bed, angry tears spilling down his cheeks as he covered his eyes with his hands. Why? Why did this need to happen? What did they do to deserve this? What did she do to deserve this? He couldn’t find an answer, no matter how much he tried, so he let himself cry, let himself feel the pain that was nestled in his heart. 

He hated soulmates. 

That much he was able to get out of the whole situation. He hated them and the whole concept of them with a burning passion. He was sick by the thought that there was someone out there who could and probably will hurt him like this, who probably couldn’t care less about him and his feelings and who’ll probably reject him. He hated the fact that the universe has destined someone for him. Somebody perfect, his other half. He wasn’t incomplete, he didn’t need them.

Despite his crush on Percy, there wasn’t a second when he thought about the possibility of the other boy being his soulmate, a second where he even entertained the idea. He believed that he could like, hell, he could love other people without them being his soulmate and that was perfectly fine.

Persephone called him down for dinner later and as usual, he didn’t feel like eating, but he went down anyway. He sat as he usually did and answered when he was asked something, but otherwise, he remained stoic.

Just as they were about to finish, Bianca fell off her chair. Her body arched as she screamed in pain. The phantom assailant made her bruises deeper and cuts bled out as she sobbed and cried for help. Nico sat there, frozen and scared. That has never happened before. Not severe like then. Never as much blood as then.

His dad was quicker than any of them as he rushed to her side, wrapping his arms around her fragile body and calling her name. “Persephone, get the keys!”, he suddenly yelled.

His stepmother ran out of the room but Nico paid her no mind as he followed his father out. “Bia. Bia it’ll be okay. It’ll be okay”, he tried.

Her face was draining out of color at a rapid speed, nothing like before. She whimpered as she reached her hand out and then it fell, her body went limp in his dad’s arms. A broken sob escaped his lips as Persephone ran out after them, unlocking the car and jumping into the driver’s seat. Nico tried to get in with them but his dad pushed him out.

“Let me in! I want to go too!”, he yelled through his tears.

“No, you stay here”, he said sternly before he shut the door.

“No! Let me in! Dad! Dad!” His shouts were for nothing, seeing as he already drove off. His hands balled into fists as tears fell down his face. He sucked in a sudden breath before turning on his heel and running off. 

He ran down the street, ignoring the tears and the burn in his chest as he made his way to the familiar yellow house. Without knocking, he burst into Will’s house and sprinted up the stairs. He found him sitting with Austin in their room, playing some card game.

Without thinking about it, he threw himself on his friend, wrapped his arms around him and sobbed.

“Was that Nico?”, Mrs. Solace called from the doorway. He heard her take a sharp breath once she saw him, he was probably a dreadful sight to behold. “What’s going on?”, she asked as she rushed towards them.

“I-I don’t know”, Will said as he held him, “Death Boy?”, he tried, his voice frantic and wavering.

“B-Bia. She…”, he couldn’t say anything else before he was interrupted by another sob. He heard Mrs. Solace running out of the room in an instant as Will rubbed his back and smoothed his overgrown hair.

“I’ve got you”, he kept on murmuring and Nico knew that he did. He knew that he could rely on him and he was never more grateful for it. 

“What if...What if…”, finishing that sentence seemed like an impossible task as he struggled to breathe. 

“She won’t”, but even Will’s voice sounded weak and strained. He heard him sniffle and soon tears started falling on his neck too. He just hugged him tighter as both of them cried, neither of them knew what to do or what to expect, both of them scared and lost.

Mrs. Solace rushed in about half an hour later, two cups of hot cocoa in her hands as she hugged both of them and wiped their tears. “She’s okay. The doctors said that she’ll be fine but...it was a close call”, she told them finally. 

The two of them sat in silence as they sipped on the cocoa, both of their eyes lost and distant as they mulled everything in their heads. It was decided that Nico will spend the night at their place seeing as his whole family will be stuck in the hospital for the night.

Both of them changed into Will’s colorful pajamas before climbing into bed and wrapping their limbs around one another. Neither of them could sleep, but they couldn’t talk either so they settled on just holding each other tightly, seeking comfort, support, love. 

Most boys would consider it weird, to just sleep in the same bed as their best friend as cuddle them, but neither of them cared. They were always different than the others, their whole relationship was, so who cares if they did that? Nico loved Will’s hugs and being that close to him. The familiar lemon and honey smell soothed his beating heart and slowed down his racing thoughts. 

He doesn’t remember falling asleep, but he remembers feeling safe and secure in Will’s hold and that was all that mattered.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, so sorry for putting this up a day late. I've been super busy and it slipped my mind but I hope that you'll enjoy it despite my little slip-up :)

“Please quit squirming”, Will fussed as he dug through the box that was set on the floor with one hand and trying to keep Nico still with the other. Nico didn’t say anything, he just continued to try to get out of his hold. 

Will sighed, “You leave me no choice, Death Boy.” He got up, pushed Nico’s legs back down and sat on his lap, trapping his smaller body on the floor.

“W-what are you doing?”, Nico spluttered as his cheeks darkened. 

“Keeping you still since you refuse to do so yourself. Now, raise your head for me”, he instructed. Nico only puffed out his cheeks and glared at Will’s stomach. With a well-practiced eye roll, Will cupped Nico’s chin and brought his head up. Nico’s cheeks were still puffed but there was a bruise forming on his right cheek. His lip was also split and Will dreaded looking at his knuckles, most probably completely busted.

“You just had to start another fight”, he chided. He started working. First thing’s first, get Nico’s hair out of his face so with a couple of clips provided to him by Kayla for his last birthday, Will secured Nico’s bangs on top of his head, giving himself a clear view of the pale face. Nico glared at him but said nothing as Will quietly worked on cleaning the small cuts and making sure everything was alright. 

They were sitting on the floor of the janitor’s closet, hidden away from everyone and breathing in the disgusting smells of cleaning supplies. After Bianca came out of the hospital two weeks ago, things have been rough for the two of them, mainly Nico. 

Other kids, older and younger, constantly bombarded him with questions, shooted him pitiful looks and overall felt sorry for him. But there were also the mean ones. The ones telling him that Bianca must be a horrible person if her soulmate rejected her. That she probably deserves it, that it’s all because Nico is a freak. That it was just a matter of time when she’ll die. 

And Nico? Nico couldn’t take it. Every insult was met with an equally hurtful one, every tease was met with a glare and every jab was met by a more violent one. More often than not he got into fights, especially with older kids. His face would darken and his whole frame would shake and his fists would ball and all Will could do is close his eyes and wait for everything to calm down before he takes care of Nico. He tried to break him up with another person, to calm him down, several times even, but every time he did he just got hit in return and Nico would then feel bad about it so he just stopped.

He was probably going to get into trouble for fighting and both of them are for skipping classes, but he didn’t care. He knew that Nico was in no condition to go back in and he would be damned if he left him all alone. Their parents were used to this by now and gave them no trouble for it, even though they pleaded, with Will mostly, for them to tone it down a bit. He did his best.

After making sure his face was clean, he switched to his hands. He took each of them gently into his, cleaned them carefully and placed some colorful bandages on top. Will knew it was weird to carry around med supplies, but it was obviously worth it. Dad showed him how to do everything after Will pestered him the entire day and he was given the supplies with promises of keeping it safe and using it when needed.

“Here you go”, he said after he placed a Ninja Turtle on his thumb, “All set. Want a lollipop?” 

“Thanks, Sunshine”, Nico opened his hand and Will gave him a cherry-flavored lollipop before taking one himself. “Will you get off of me now?”

“Nah, you’re comfy. Do you want me to?”, he packed up the supplies and set them back into his backpack. Nico thought for a moment as he ate the candy and ultimately shook his head.

“You can stay.”

Will sat top of his best friend, hoping that nobody will come looking for them because that would be hard to explain. He ran a hand through his curls, before dropping his head in the crook of Nico’s neck.   
“What am I going to do with you?”, he muttered.

“I’m sorry. You don’t have to bother with me Sunshine. I’ll be fine”, his voice was small and rejected as if Will just took his heart out and stomped on it. Will’s head snapped back up, hand cupping and squeezing Nico’s cheeks making him look like a pufferfish.

“Don’t you ever, and I mean ever, say that again. Okay?”, he knew that he was probably a bit too harsh but even the thought that Nico might feel rejected by him hurt him and he couldn’t have him. “I’ll always be there for you. I’ll do whatever you need me to do and I’ll never leave you. Okay? You’re stuck with me Death Boy.”

“Okay”, Nico said or, well, tried to. His cheeks were still squished. 

Will released him, “Good. Wanna get out of here?”

“Sure.”

He scrambled up, pulling Nico up by his hand too. The two of them grabbed their backpack and headed out into the hallway. Their last class was about to finish, so they should just head out and wait for the bus and that’s what they did. They stood out, the cold wind biting at their cheeks and making their noses turn red.

Will buried his face into his jacket as he jumped a bit from side to side to keep warm. Nico was as still as a rock but Will could see him shake a bit under his coat. He huddled closer, trying to share some body heat considering he was a lot warmer than the other boy in general. Nico’s eyes looked sad, but they always did. He wished for the times when Nico would laugh and smile all the time, when he was energized and talkative. He was afraid that that Nico was forever lost. 

Now that he thought about it, he couldn’t remember the last time Nico even smiled, let alone laughed. He had to do something to fix that, he concluded. 

They boarded the bus soon and Will mulled over the plan in his head as they drove back home. He kept an eye on the other kids as they passed them but nobody seemed too keen on interrupting the pair as they made themselves comfortable, their chatter filling the space. 

“Will?”, Nico suddenly called. 

“Yes?”

“Do you...do you think that they’re right?”

“Who and about what?”

“Them”, he jerked his head in the direction of the rest of the bus, “About Bia. About me”, his voice trailed off at the last sentence.

“No”, Will placed his hand on his shoulder, shaking him a bit, “They’re not. They have no idea what they’re talking about, don’t listen to them.”

The rest of the ride was spent in silence but that was fine by Will. By the time they got off the bus he had a plan formed and a new jump to his step. He even gave himself a mental pat on the back for his brilliant idea.

“I’ll come to pick you up in ten minutes, okay?”, he told Nico as he dropped him off at his house.

Nico tilted his head to the side, “Why? I was going to spend some time with Bianca.” And right, Bianca hasn’t gone out ever since the hospital leading to Nico not going out as well to keep her company. Will would join them from time to time but he found it rude to be in their house every day.

“Please Death Boy. For me?” He put on his best puppy eyes and after a couple of seconds of Nico’s internal battle, he gave in and waved him goodbye before closing the door in his face. 

Will sprinted back to his place, threw his backpack on his bed before hastily grabbing his small piggy bank. He shook the small, ceramic holder until every last penny dropped out and scooped it all into his pocket. He has been saving up for months now, wanting to buy Nico a perfect present for his birthday that was less than three months away but he knew that this will be worth it. 

“Where do you think you’re going?”, his mum called as he headed for the door. He peeked into the kitchen where Kayla was sitting and doing some homework while mum was cooking what he assumed was dinner. 

“Out”, he said, hoping that it would be enough to let him go. It wasn’t.

“Out where? With who? You keep forgetting that you need permission, young man”, she shook her head and Will flinched. Ever since this whole ordeal started, he just went in and out of the house as he wanted, dismissive of his parents’ wishes. 

“Sorry”, he took a step inside, “I was going to go to the arcade with Nico if it’s okay with you.”

“Don’t you need money for it?” He could tell that she thought that she had him there but the joke was on her. He patted his pocket where some penny jingled.

“All good”, he grinned.

She pursed her lips as she regarded him for a moment then with a sigh she nodded, “Okay then. Have fun. Tell Nico I said hi.”

He ran to her side to give her a quick hug before bounding out of the door with a cheerful, “I will, thank you. Bye!”

Nico, as instructed, was patiently waiting for him with a scarf around his neck this time. “What did you have in mind then?”, he asked as soon as Will stopped in front of him.

“You’ll see”, he winked before taking Nico’s hand in his own. He swayed their joined hands from side to side as they slowly made their way towards the arcade that was located down the street. They finally had permission to go there on their own that year but due to everything going on they only went twice. 

Will knew that Nico loved it there, he was basically in heaven, and he hoped that it’ll make him feel even a bit better. The other boy was quiet by his side, letting Will hum some tune from the last show he was watching as they trudged through the cold and empty streets. 

He didn’t slow down as they reached their destination, he just led them towards the door and into the warm interior of it. The sounds of the games, loud and cheerful, filled the place alongside the chatter of other people inside. 

“Sunshine, why didn’t you tell me? I didn’t bring any money or anything”, Nico complained as he unzipped his coat, his eyes sparkling from the reflecting colorful lights. They were wide open and if Will wasn’t mistaken, there was a hint of excitement in them too.

“Don’t worry about it.” Will made sure that they had enough change to pay for the games before leading them towards Nico’s favorite one. He pushed a couple of coins into his hand before stepping up to it himself.

“Zombie Apocalypse, but you hate this one”, Nico commented as he too took his place in front of it.

“I know”, he shrugged as he inserted a coin, “But you love it so…” Nico didn’t say anything else but the small smile that took its place on his face as he inserted his own coin said it all. 

They spent hours like that, just playing different kinds of games. Will naturally lost in most of them but all of it was worth it because Nico was actually smiling and laughing and having a good time as he destroyed him. The only game in which Nico turned out to be a bit worse than Will was Dance Dance Revolution, which Will fell in love with. Not that Nico sucked at it, he was decent, but Will was just better and he made it known. 

In the end, they were left with just enough money to pay for some pizza which Will happily paid for. He’ll probably regret spending all of his savings when he goes to buy the present but at the moment it didn’t matter. All that mattered is that Nico had the best day possible and he’d be damned if he didn’t make it happen. 

“Where did you get the money anyway?”, Nico asked as he reached for a second slice and Will’s heart wanted to burst from happiness because of it.

“I, ya know, I just had a bit saved up and thought we could go and have some fun”, he laughed awkwardly.

“You had a bit saved up?”; Nico raised an eyebrow, making it disappear behind his long bangs, “That wasn’t a bit, Will.”

“Just...shut up and eat your pizza”, he glared, embarrassed. 

“Suit yourself, dork.” He kept quiet for some time before shyly throwing, “Thank you. I had...I had a good time.”

Will’s eyes softened as he ruffled Nico’s hair, “You’re welcome.”

After pizza, they decided to head back home before the adults threw a fit or something. They, once again, walked hand in hand, accompanied by silence and the sounds of passing cars. But it wasn’t the same as before. On their way there, there was a certain sluggishness to Nico’s steps, a drop to his shoulders and a frown on his lips but now his steps were lighter, his back was straight and he was even smiling a bit.

Yeah, definitely worth it, Will thought.

He stood by his side, waiting for the door of Nico’s house to open so that he could head to his own. They both found themselves surprised when instead of Jules, it was Bianca who opened it.

“Hey, bambini”, she smiled as she opened them wide, letting the light from the inside shine on them, Cerberus’ barks sounding from upstairs. She took both of them in before her dark eyes settled on Nico, “You’ve been out for long. What were you up to?”

“Will took us to the arcade! I don’t know why but we had a lot of fun”, Nico beamed.

“Yeah? That’s great. Why don’t you come inside, Seph has been worried.”

“Okay”, Nico didn’t go inside immediately instead, he turned around, placed a kiss on Will’s cheek and only then did he head inside, “Thank you Sunshine. See you tomorrow.”

“Y-you’re welcome”; Will stuttered out as he touched his tingling cheek. “I-I should head home, too. Mum is probably getting worried.” He was stopped by a hand on his shoulder and Bianca’s quiet voice telling him to wait. “Yeah?”

“I just...I wanted to thank you Will”, her eyes were soft, her smile sad.

“For what?”

“For taking care of him and being there for him. You make him happy. I haven’t seen him smile like that in a long time.”

“Oh”, he didn’t know what to say. He felt a spark of pride growing in his chest at the words, “No need to thank me Bia. I’d do anything for him.”

“I know bambino”, her eyes glittered in the soft light as she wrapped her weak arms around him, “Promise me something?”

“A-anything.”

“That you’ll be there for him and take care of him once I’m gone”, he heard her sniffle. His own eyes watered a bit as he hugged her back.

“Don’t say that”, he shook his head, “Y-you can’t leave him. We’ll find a way…”

She ignored his words, “You said anything. Promise me”, she demanded as she hugged him tighter.

Will waited a couple of seconds before breathing out, “I promise.”

“Thank you”, she detached herself from him and wiped her eyes with the end of her sweater. “You should head back. We don’t want Mrs. Solace to worry, don’t we?”, she smiled at him but he could see the sadness behind it.

“Bianca, please don’t give up”, he pleaded as she started to close the door.

Her smile faltered, “You’ll take good care of him. Good night Will.”

The door was closed and Will found himself in the dark. Bianca’s words played over and over in his head as he went back home, the promise he made once again echoing in his head. He was only 10 but twice so far he has been asked to promise the same thing, to be there for Nico. He didn’t need those promises, he knew that he’d do it with or without them. But if two people have asked him that, did it mean something more? Was it not obvious that he’d do it? Or was it something else?

He frowned, not knowing the answer. He knew one thing though, he was going to do it, no matter what. He’ll be there for Nico even when Bianca goes away. It pained him to think that way but he knew that it was the truth. It was only a matter of time at this point. There was no use in lying to himself when even Bianca accepted it. The only person who didn’t and won’t be able to accept it until it happens was Nico.

Dread filled him when the thought crossed his mind. How will he take it? He was already too hurt by it, no doubt he’ll fall apart. He was much too young to fall apart like that, everybody knew it, but he will. And Will? He’ll be there to pick up the pieces and get him back together, no matter how hard it will be or how long it takes. Because he promised he will and because he wants to. 

Because Nico is worth it.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is..angsty as fuck ngl so I'm sorry about that, don't come @ me

Life was a weird thing. Filled with a bunch of random nonsense that somehow make a full story that is supposed to represent a person's life. They make it look like a fun thing. A happy thing. A thing filled with joy and laughter and love. Life was everything but, or so it seemed in Nico’s head.

In Nico’s head, life was nothing but a mere punishment for something he did not do. It was a thing that existed to make him suffer and cry and hurt. Life wasn’t filled with sunshine, it was a black hole threatening to swallow him. But hey, he’s just 10 so what the heck does he know?

Nico scoffed at the pop quiz laid in front of him. He doesn't remember learning any of it in class. He barely even remembers that semester. He sighed, shoulders lumping further if it was even possible before flopping over his desk. No use, he won't remember anyway. He’ll fail, just like usual, and he’ll get scolded, just like usual, but nobody will find it in them to punish him for it, just like usual.

He tilted his head to the side, offering himself a clear view of Will who was scribbling away with his tongue peeking out. He had a habit of doing that when he was concentrated and Nico found it cute, even though he’ll never tell him that. He’d probably think it’s weird. 

The other boy huffed as another curl fell in front of his eyes before tucking it behind his ear. He couldn’t help but admire the scatter of freckles all over his skin. They always reminded him of stars. Will found that funny and called him a dork but it was the truth and even Bianca agreed.

His thoughts jumped to his sister whom he left at home. She looked happy that morning which was very refreshing, he hoped that she’ll continue to be happy in the future. Maybe things were going to get better after all. They won’t and you know it, a voice in his head told him. He shooed it away.

He went back to staring at his best friend. The colors of his outfit almost made his eyes hurt as he looked at it. He couldn’t phantom as to why Will would wear such hideous clothes but he always seemed happy in them and Nico was more than willing to support him in it. 

The quiz was soon finished and Nico ignored the displeased look that Miss. Millie threw him when she came around to pick his sheet up.

“Hey, did you do anything?”, Will slid back into his seat.

He shook his head, “No, sorry.”

“It’s okay, you’ll get it next time”, he smiled at him as usual. And that’s why he loved Will. He never looked at him with pitiful eyes or as if he was some charity case or, even worse, a freak. He was just Nico and he was treating him as such. Supportive and loving.

“Yeah, next time”, he agreed even though he knew that he won’t. He never did. 

The bell rang, marking the end of their first period. He once again flopped over his desk making Will giggle and ruffle his hair. It was going to be a long day, he could already feel it in his soul.

Nico would like to say that he paid attention in class that day but he wasn’t a liar. He doodled and scribbled stuff, hid behind Will who, as enthusiastic as always, had his hand constantly raised up in attempts to participate in class. He admired him for it, wished that he was like that but he honestly couldn’t be bothered. However, he did not expect the doors to fling open and for their class to be interrupted. The principal walked in with hurried steps as if she was being chased by a monster.

With wide and troubled eyes she scanned the classroom before turning and whispering something into their teacher’s ear. Miss. Mellie’s cheerful demeanor fell as she solemnly nodded and turned back to them.

“Nico and Will, will you please come out. Bring your stuff too, you won’t be returning to class”, her eyes were saddened, her smile weak and at that moment Nico felt something heavy settling in his chest. 

In a haze, he packed his stuff before grabbing Will’s hand and following him outside. He squeezed his eyes shut, sending prayers to anyone who was listening to not let it be real, for it to be anything else, anything at all. His prayers were futile. Outside was Mr. Solace with a grave look on his face.

“Dad, what are you doing here?”, Will asked but everyone could hear the watery tremble in his voice. 

“C’mon boys, let’s go home”, was all they got. Nico clung to Will as if his life depended on it and, in a way, it did. The sunshiney boy was the only stable point in his life. 

They sat side by side, tightly pressed together. If it weren’t for the seatbelt Nico probably would’ve sat in Will’s lap so that he could hide from the world. He settled for holding his hand and burying his head into his chest. Mr. Solace remained quiet, his eyes on the road. No music came from the radio.

The car pulled in front of the familiar yellow house and they were ushered out. Nico grabbed onto Mr. Solace’s coat, stopping him and making him turn around.

“Mr. Solace, please…”, he didn’t know what he was asking for but the tears were threatening to spill and he had to try something.

“It’ll be okay, bud”, was all he got in return as he opened the door for them.

Time seemed to slow as they made their way towards the kitchen where a distant murmur could be heard from. His ears felt as if they were stuffed with cotton, his movements slowed down as if walking through jello. Will was dragging him forward but he could feel the other boy’s hand trembling in his. He sent one last prayer, knowing deep in his heart that there was no use.

At the kitchen table sat his stepmom with Will’s mom, cups of coffee abandoned in front of them. Their conversation stopped as they spotted the two boys. Persephone's eyes were rimmed with red, her whole face blotchy as if she was crying just like Mrs. Solace’s. Nico froze as he made eye contact with Persephone who was instantly on her feet.

Before she could even open her mouth, he whispered, “Please, no”, and then louder, “Please, no. Please, no. Please, no!” 

“Nico, sweetheart, calm down please”, she shushed as she knelt in front of him, her hands gently wiping his cheeks. He grabbed her wrists, keeping her hands in place, as he shook his and pleaded with his eyes. 

“Seph...Bia?”, he couldn't manage more.

If it was possible, her face became even sadder, a dark shadow settling over it as she shook her head too. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. Bianca...she…”, she didn’t finish the sentence but she didn’t need to. Nico knew.

His sister was dead.

~~~

The early December snow fell around them. The air was cold as if it wanted to resemble the sourful atmosphere that was settled over them. Nico tugged on his hat. Even Will was wearing black. 

A lot more people showed up than they expected. Bianca was a very nice, very loving person after all. Old and new classmates, friends, teachers and professors, family members even from Italy were all gathered to say their farewell to the wonderful person that she was. Even Pecy Jackson showed up but Nico paid him no mind. He just walked by him as Jason and Percy tried to greet him earlier. 

Nico wasn’t crying. He ran out of tears four days ago when the news was delivered to him. He felt empty and drained and he couldn’t wait for everything to be over. Will, on the other hand, couldn’t stop crying. Nico didn’t mind. He held onto him as the other boy sobbed and sniffled. It was his turn to be the rock now. 

They stood in the front row with his dad, Jules, and Persephone. They even brought Cerberus who was obediently sitting at his feet. The poor guy was lost and confused and he kept on looking for her around the house and coming to her room. It broke every piece of Nico’s soul as he had to tell him that she wasn’t coming back, that she was gone. Cerberus did not understand.

In his hands was a bouquet of white roses, waiting to be placed. He watched as people all around him cried and sniffled, heartbroken by her story, by the terrible destiny that fell upon her. 

Bianca left some letters behind. She obviously knew what her fate was even when he couldn’t admit it to himself. She left one for him, for dad, for Persephone, for Jules, for Will, and for some other people that she deemed worthy. She asked for forgiveness, told them she loved them and pleaded with them to let her go and live their lives to the fullest. Nico’s was now stashed in his bedside table. He knew it by heart.

She also left one for her soulmate, Zoë. They don’t know what that one said but it took a lot of fighting with Nico for him to allow them to send it. He only did it because that’s what she wanted.

Her coffin was lowered and the dirt was thrown and soon it was time for Nico to step up and lay the first flowers. He couldn’t find the strength to do it but Will was there to help him so, together, the two of them gently placed the roses down. They stepped back in silence. In a matter of minutes the whole place was covered in white roses that perfectly resemble his sister. Innocent. She was innocent and she didn’t deserve it. 

They were the last ones that stayed, even Will’s parents left knowing that Will wasn’t coming home anyway. They stood around, the adults idly chatting about some miscellaneous thing as Nico tried to find it in himself to leave.

“Mi dispiace, sorella maggiore. Mi dispiace. Io ti amerò sempre”, he whispered to her. 

His eyes caught movement in the right corner of his vision. He lifted his head and his blood instantly boiled despite the cold. Several feet away stood Zoë with Artemis and white roses in hand. She looked like a deer caught in the headlights, dark eyes wide open and staring at him. He fumed as he strode over to her with determined steps, snow crunching under his feet.

“What are you doing here?”, he demanded even before he reached her. She didn’t answer, she just averted her gaze. “Answer me!” He grabbed the fistfuls of her jacket. He looked ridiculous, a tiny boy screaming at a grown woman but he didn’t care.

“Let her go”, Artemis stepped out and tried to swat him away. “Stay away, kid.”

“No, you stay away! You’re just as guilty as she is! Because of you, my sister is dead. My sister is dead because you were selfish and nothing you ever do will bring her back!” He was crying, angry tears streaming down his face as he screamed his throat raw. He didn’t care. How could they just show up?

Zoë started to cry too, “I-I’m sorry. I-I didn’t…”

“Didn’t what?”

“That’s enough Nico”, his dad interrupted.

“Papà, you can’t be serious! Bia is dead because of her!”

“I said that’s enough, Nicola. Let me take care of it”, his tone left no room for argument. He went back to Will who was standing two feet away, looking conflicted and hurt. He welcomed him with open arms and Nico gratefully fell into his embrace as he watched his dad loom over the two girls.

“It is highly disrespectful to show up here, don’t you think?”, he sounded calm but Nico could see the silent anger that brewed under the surface.

“We just wanted to-”, Artemis was cut short by him raising his hand.

“I do not care about what you wanted. You two are the people I do not wish to see for the rest of my life. Have I made myself clear? Your selfish actions have caused a lot of despair to my family and this loss will be something that we’ll never get over. You took my child away, you will never be forgiven. I hope that you’ll be hunted by what you did for the rest of your lives”, and with that he turned around, leaving them to silently cry as they stared at the spot where he stood. Nico hoped that his words would come true.

They drove back in silence. Music seemed pretty pointless to all of them. The house was cold and empty, eerie silence filling the vast space as they shrugged out of their coats and jackets. 

“I’ll be in my study”, was all his dad said before he left them. The doors gave a loud click as he closed them behind himself.

“Preparerò la cena”, Jules muttered as he disappeared into the kitchen.

“Cocoa?”, Persephone offered. Will and he settled in the living room, Nico in Will’s lap, his head buried in the crook of his neck as they both breathed in deeply, trying to calm themselves down.

“She’s gone, Sunshine”, he whispered after some time.

“I know”, Will’s hold tightened.

“We failed.”

“I know.”

“Why?”

Will hesitated, “I don’t know.” 

Sound of footsteps could be heard after some time accompanied by a rich smell of chocolate.

“Thanks, Seph”, Will muttered as she lowered two cups on the table. Persephone settled down next to them, wrapping them both in a warm embrace and bringing a smell of flowers with her.

“We’ll be fine, boys. Together, we’ll get through this. That’s what Bianca wants. She wants us to be fine” They didn’t reply. 

She left them alone to drink their cocos. The cups were also filled with marshmallows but it brought little to no joy while they drank it all. Dinner was a quiet ordeal seeing as nobody was really in a mood to eat let alone talk. Even Will played with his food. Jules didn't comment on it even though he’d usually complain about nobody eating. He wasn’t in a mood either.

“Where are you going?”, Will asked as Nico stood up.

“To my room.” He didn’t look back but he could hear the sound of hurried footsteps following him up the stairs. 

He made a beeline for his closet. He threw his clothes off before shrugging into a pair of pajamas. Will followed suit. His pajamas were pink and covered in small red hearts and usually Nico would tease him for it but he couldn’t find it in himself. They brushed their teeth together and he let Will brush his hair when he called him an animal for not doing it. He couldn’t bring himself to care at all.

Nico crawled into his bed, kicking some spare blankets and pillows out of the way as he went. He settled under the covers where he was soon joined by Will who immediately cuddled into his side and wrapped his arms around him. 

He rested his head on Will’s chest, letting himself be calmed down by his steady heartbeat and the soft vibration that came through it as Will hummed some tune. Memories of everything that went down in the last six to seven months played in his head on a loop.

All of the sobs, screams, and pleas. All of the long talks he had with her and hours spent on trying to find a solution. The sadness he saw in her and how it just got bigger and bigger. The broken smiles and halfhearted hugs. The looks of sorrow and despair as she sat and waited for her end to come. 

He didn’t realize that he was crying until Will let out a gentle shush and gathered him closer before placing a kiss on the crown of his head. From the spot by his feet, Cerberus whined before licking his foot in an attempt to comfort him. 

“Wish it was me”, he sobbed out into Will’s shirt.

“No”, Will shook his head, “No, never you. That’ll never be you. I won’t let it.”

“You don’t get it Will. I wish it was me so that Bia could live just like she deserves!”

“And you don’t?”, his words made him shut his mouth. Was he any less deserving than Bianca? In his head, yes. But how would the others take it if it was him in her place? Probably better. She had a bright future, she only started college. So much was ahead of her. She deserved it much more than him.

“You do”, Will answered his own question, “You so do. You deserve it just as much as she did and just as much as everybody else does. I know it’s hard Nico, it’s hard for me too. But we’ll get through this. Together, like always. Okay?”, he ran his hand soothingly through his hair as he spoke, his tone soft and gentle and soothing Nico’s pain in a way nothing else could.

“Promise?”, he asked shyly.

“I promise. We can do this.”

“Together?”

“Together. How about we try to sleep? I know that you haven’t slept in a while”, he offered and once again he was right. He probably hasn’t slept in days now. Nico nodded before he made himself as comfortable as he could. 

“Night, Sunshine”, he whispered.

“Night, Death Boy. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

Will’s words actually did wonders for his racing thoughts. It will be hard, yes, but they can do this. Together. He deserves his life and he’ll live it to his fullest. Just like Bianca wants. He owed her as much.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for skipping yet another day, I wasn't in a good place and it slipped my mind. Really sorry, thank you for being patient

If Will got a dollar every time he found himself in a situation like this one, he’d be rich by now and could drop his plans for med school altogether. But alas, nobody was there to provide for his poor soul so he had to make do. Honestly, how hard is it for a guy to choose an outfit?

Apparently, really hard. 

He has been standing in front of his closet for too long after spending too much time at the breakfast table and later in the shower. It was just a slow morning especially after working on his paper until late at night. At least he got to finish, although his eyes are now suffering. If he continues to do this, he’ll have dark bags worse than Nico’s.

A lazy yawn escaped his mouth as he went through his options once again. He glanced at his phone. Panic settled into his gut as the numbers flashed. He was already late. He quickly grabbed a shirt that Austin got him for his last birthday and paired it with green skinny jeans and red converse. 

“Will! Nico is here”, Kayla yelled as he dashed down the stairs. The first horn sounded from the outside just as he grabbed some money from the counter that was left for him. He tripped over his own feet as he ran out, the door slamming shut behind him and muffling Kayla’s screams of protest. He grinned as he saw the familiar car in front of his driveway before making his way towards it.

“Morning Will”, Hazel cheered as he opened the door.

“Hi, Haze”, he smiled even more. Hazel was always cheerful and smiling, the purest person he had the honor to meet, unlike her brother. “Morning, Mr. Grumpy Pants”, he teased as he kissed Nico’s cheek. The boy was priorly frowning but now his features melted into an easy smile as he pulled out of the driveway and started making his way towards their next destination.

“Morning Sunshine. Late, as usual, I see”, he reprimanded. Will just flashed him another apologetic grin. Okay, maybe he had a small tendency to be late but that’s just because you can’t rush perfection. Besides, after ten years of friendship, Nico should be used to it by now. 

He honestly couldn’t have asked for a better best friend. The two of them have been through hell and back, especially with everything that went down with Bianca six years ago. There wasn’t a day when he didn’t think of the unfortunate girl whom he considered family or of the promise he made. He thinks that he hasn't broken it so far and he hopes that he never will.

Their friendship only tightened through the years, to the point where they were basically living in each other’s houses. Half of Will’s clothes have somehow ended up at Nico’s and, more often than not, on Nico himself. 

His soulmate status hasn’t changed since he started high school, unfortunately. One would think that after the traumatic events of Bianca's death he'd hate the concept and be terrified of it but he wasn’t. He was still in love with his parents’ love story which made him fantasize almost daily about his own. He was severely disappointed when he realized that he won’t be meeting his soulmate in his freshman year like his parents did. 

Nico, on the other hand, was completely the opposite. 

He hated soulmates with burning passion and was quite vocal about it too. That being said, Will hasn’t heard of him kissing anyone or being interested in anyone besides Percy Jackson so far, and even that crush faded when he was 14. He briefly glanced at his best friend who was humming as he focused on the road.

He assumed that Nico hasn’t tried anything yet just because he didn’t give a flying fuck about it. If he wanted to, he could have any guy he wanted. He was pale, sure, and had dark bags under his eyes, but that was just a part of his whole emo, bad-boy charm when combined with his ripped, black skinny jeans, combat boots and aviator jacket. He had a pretty sharp jawline and high cheekbones and was nicely built from all of the fighting with the punching bag he had in his room. Overall, his best friend was quite a catch if you asked Will but seemingly nobody shared his opinion.

Oh well, their loss, Will shrugged as he fiddled with the radio.

The car slowed down as they approached a familiar grey house. A small Latino ran out of it as if being chased before leaping into the back seat with his chest rising and falling rapidly. “Ay, jódete mujer! No eres el jefe de mi!”, he yelled at nobody in particular as he settled down with a huff. 

He ran a hand through the mass of curls that fell into his eyes before opening his eyes to flash them all a smile. “Morning, handsome people. Ready for another exciting school day?”, he winked at Hazel making her giggle.

“Hi, Leo. I see that you and Mrs. Willson are getting along great, as usual”, Will commented as he turned towards the other boy.

“Yep”, he said, popping the ‘p’.

“What was it this morning?”, Hazel worried as she scanned him from head to toe for any sign of injury. He was good, Will already checked.

“I don’t even know. She just hates me, I guess. And I didn’t mess around her stuff this time, I swear!”

“Sure you didn’t”, Nico passed him a wrapped up sandwich from his pocket which Leo gratefully accepted.

“Gracias, Doom Gloom”, he chirped as he bit into it. 

“No problem”, Nico waved it off. This was one of the many reasons why Will loved him so much. He always seemed so cold and uncaring but he actually cared a lot more than the most. Ever since Hazel introduced him to Leo a couple of months back, Nico made it his personal mission to protect him. He brought him food every morning once he spotted that Leo wasn’t really eating well. He even defended him from bullies all of the time. Will had to give it to him, Nico sure knew how to throw a punch.

They made it to school with twenty minutes to spare and quickly bid their goodbyes to the two younger teens as they stayed outside. His eyes burned even more as he couldn’t seem to stop yawning. He should've taken a nap in the car. 

Will shivered a bit, only then realizing that he forgot to bring a jacket of any sort with him. Great, he was stuck with a short-sleeved shirt at the beginning of November. He was about to suggest heading inside when he felt something settle across his shoulders.

“What the…?”, he trailed off once he realized that it was Nico’s jacket. 

“You’re cold and I have my hoodie on”, Nico explained as he took a step back to scan him up and down. 

“You really don’t have to, I’ll be fine”, he was already slipping his arms into the sleeves. He secretly loved Nico’s jacket. Even though Nico was a bit shorter than him, he could still fit well into his jackets and hoodies which always made him feel good. They smelled like pomegranates and mint which did wonders on his nerves. Plus, he was lucky that Nico preferred a bit larger clothes than necessary. 

“We both know it’s a lie. You can just give it back whenever, no big deal”, he patted his shoulder.

“Yeah, okay.”

Nico left him soon afterward since he had an art class while Will had music. They argued about it for a long time and couldn’t settle on taking the same class even though they had pretty much the same schedules in all of the other aspects except for Nico’s AP math and Will’s AP bio class.

“Wearing your boyfriend's jacket, I see”, Lou teased as she settled next to him.

Will rolled his eyes at the purple-haired girl, “Good morning to you too Lou.”

“Yeah, yeah. What’s up with the jacket, Sunny?” Lou Ellen was one of the few friends he made in high school. She was loud and her favorite activity was sticking her pierced nose into other people’s business. She was nice despite all of it and never judged Will for being himself which few people did. He appreciated that therefore he appreciated Lou. Plus, he really needed her fashion advice since she wore everything he wanted to wear and more.

“Forgot mine so Neeks gave me his. Why?”, he bristled. Lou wasn’t really fond of Nico, despite Will trying to show her that he was actually an amazing person, so every time she brought him up he immediately got defensive. She couldn’t seem to go past his fiery attitude.

“Chill, I was just curious”, she laughed as she flicked his nose. She kicked her feet up, her pink heels flashing in the classroom light as she chewed on her gum. “You good?”, she prompted as she burst yet another bubble.

“Hm? Yeah”, he blinked brierley at her, last night’s work catching up to him, “I was just up until late trying to finish that English paper”, he explained.

“Don’t remind me”, she groaned as her feet fell back down. She dug through her oversized purse before pulling out a crumpled piece of paper. “Mine is still not done. Could you check over it?”

“Sure”, one of the reasons he took music class was because they did absolutely nothing while Nico worked his ass off in art. Luckily for him, he was an amazing artist and actually enjoyed it. Meanwhile, he could have easy mornings and had a chance to finish off his work or nap in other cases. It was a win, win if you asked him.

The rest of the classes flew by in a blur and he found himself at the lunch table, waiting for the other’s to join him. Nico was lying face down on it, his food being ignored as usual, with Cecil complaining about the pop quiz they had in History. Will kept quiet since he didn’t think it was that hard but then again, he was a local nerd so he didn’t get to vote on it.

Cecil was the other friend he made. He was a big guy who played football and portrayed the stereotypical jock. Despite that, he wasn’t mean and was actually a quite fun guy to be around. But don’t leave your wallet unsupervised around him, Will learned that the hard way.

“I hate Chemistry”, Hazel groaned as she settled next to her brother and followed his example with the whole laying on the table thing. Nico patted her arm half-heartedly but otherwise remained stoic. 

“I thought it was fun!”, Leo exclaimed. He snatched an apple from Nico’s tray as Hazel’s head sprung up.

“Of course you did! You almost blew everything up”, she complained.

“So”, Leo shrugged, “More fun that way.” Will didn’t think so but, again, nobody cared about his opinion so he just quietly ate his food.

One would think that he’d be used to his schedule by now but the day always seemed to stretch on after lunch and he just wanted to go back home. PE was the last class of the day and Will was never so happy to find himself in a room filled with sweaty and disgusting smelling boys. 

He pushed his wet bangs away from his eyes as he put his clean clothes back on. Coach Hedge really didn’t hold back that day. His body screamed at him. He’ll be sour all over tomorrow, no doubt. He tugged Nico’s jacket back on before heading out where Nico was already waiting for him.

“Took you long enough”, he started to walk away and Will had to run after him to catch up. “Wanna go home or something else?”

“Home please”, he wrapped his arm around his waist and leaned his head on Nico’s, “I just want to drink some tea and nap. Can we nap together? I wanna nap together.” He knew that he probably sounded like a whiny kid but he didn’t care, Nico was used to it. He also knew that teenage boys don’t usually cuddle and nap with other teenage boys but he didn’t care about that either. He does what he wants, thank you very much and right now he needs his Death Boy cuddle time.

“Sure thing”, came Nico’s lazy reply. Nico never complained about it, probably because he liked it just as much as Will did. Plus, Will was practically the only person that Nico came into physical contact with. 

Just as they were headed out, they passed Lacy who offered Will a shy smile. He felt his cheeks heat up as he returned it with a small wave. 

Lacy Brown, a year older than Will, was a beautiful blond-haired girl on whom Will may or may not have a crush on. They started talking during the Theater Club meeting and they bonded over their love for performing. He has been crushing on her for about two months now and couldn’t stop getting flustered every time they just as much as made eye contact.

“Aww, look at that blush”, Nico teased as he unlocked the car.

“What blush?”, Will asked as he settled into the passenger's seat. 

“Don’t act dumb, Sunshine, we both know you’re not. Besides, you look cute with it.” The statement was told carelessly as if that was supposed to be a well-known fact, but Will could feel himself blush even more because of it. He hated it when Nico complimented him just like that. It always left him with red tainted cheeks and a funny feeling in his gut. 

“T-thanks, I guess”, he replied after he managed to calm down. 

“No problem. Can I ask you something?”, he suddenly said. He seemed nervous as he tapped the steering wheel, his eyes following the people around the parking lot, his cheeks puffed out. He’d usually just ask whatever, he hasn’t been shy about asking anything since they were 7. Will was intrigued.

“Anything”, he answered with an easy smile. 

“Why, uh, why don’t you ask her out? Lacy, I mean”, he still wasn’t making eye contact. 

Will was taken aback. They rarely talked about dating and Nico never seemed interested whenever Will mentioned his growing crush.

“What? Why would I do that?”, he tried, his laugh awkward, his voice cracking where it usually doesn’t. 

“Seriously”, Nico made eye contact this time but only to glare at him, “Drop the act, I know you too well.” He really did just like Will knew him which is exactly why he was so surprised by the question.

“Shit, I know. Sorry”, he groaned as his head fell back against the headrest, “I don’t know, she just doesn’t seem like she’s...it”, he finished lamely.

“You mean, she doesn’t seem like she’s your soulmate?”, he raised a thick eyebrow, his lips still set into a frown. 

Will hesitated, mulled the answer in his mind as he chewed on his bottom lip. He released it, nodded, “Yeah, she doesn’t.”

“And how do you know that?”

“I don’t know, the feeling isn’t like that I guess”, he threw his arms out, getting frustrated by the whole conversation, “Look, I’m still not sure about the whole thing, okay? I’ll let you know when I figure it out.” He crossed his arms, a pout settling on his lips as he glared out of the window. He was overreacting, but this was something that has been bothering him for a while and his sleep-deprived mind wasn’t helping his case.

He felt a gentle hand on his elbow, “I’m sorry, Sunshine. I didn’t mean to make you upset. You just seem like you like her a lot and I was curious, I didn’t mean to pry.” Nico’s eyes looked apologetic as he peered at him from under his bangs. Damn him and his puppy eyes, Will’s was always weak to them.

“It’s okay”, he breathed out as he let his arms drop. He took Nico’s hand into his, “You weren’t prying, I’m sorry about getting upset. I’m just really tired and I don’t have the energy to think about it. We can talk about it some other time if you're up for it”, he offered. 

“Sure”, Nico smiled before he dropped a kiss on his cheek. “We could talk about it after our nap?”

“Sounds good”, he agreed. 

Hazel and Leo joined them eventually. They all drove off towards the di Angelo household. Leo came by almost daily, anything to escape his foster home and Will just didn’t feel like going back to his own house which was too loud at that time of the day. Lunch was already set on the table with Jules waiting for them as stoic as ever. They quickly ate before the two of them left the younger teens in favor of going to Nico’s room.

Nico’s room hasn’t changed much over the years besides him getting a bigger bed to accommodate both of them. He still had glow in the dark stars plastered on his ceiling only now he had a lot more art supplies and art pieces strewn around the whole place.

Will loved his art. It was beautiful and amazing but it always had a sad and dark undertone to it. He knew that Nico was battling his inner demons on a daily basis since Bianca’s death and he was proud of him for pushing through even though he’d like to help him more with it. Nico always assured him that he was helping the most by just being there for him.

“Man, I’m exhausted”, he flopped down into the soft sheets, his senses filling with the smell that was so Nico that it made him sigh. He kicked off his shoes and shrugged out of the jacket before crawling towards the middle to settle more comfortably. 

“Tell me about it” Nico joined him, immediately snuggling to his side and closing his eyes.

“Did you even sleep last night?”

“I think I got around three, maybe four hours”, he eventually supplied, his voice drowsy.

“Not good enough. Let’s fix that then.” He wrapped his arms around Nico’s smaller body before sighing himself at the feeling. 

It made him feel calm and relaxed. School stress and the whole Lacy thing have been bothering a lot more than usual these days. He was stuck in a loop on whether or not he should try anything with her. She had a mark, that much was certain, the question was: was it a match? 

He liked her a lot. She was sweet and fun to talk to and they got along great. He liked how passionate she was about acting and how she always laughed at his jokes. Lacy’s laugh was really cute, too. He wanted to ask her out since it seemed like she liked him back, but he also didn’t want to go for it only to get disappointed and potentially hurt his soulmate by a wrong kiss. 

He huffed a bit as he once again found himself in front of this big ultimatum. He has been thinking about this too much, even a mere sight of his soulmark made him anxious. He just wanted to be happy.

“Sleep, Sunshine”, Nico suddenly mumbled, “I can hear your pretty little brain going into overdrive.”

“Sorry”, he laughed.

“You’ll figure it out. Don’t worry, okay?” And damn Nico and his ability to read Will’s mind.

“Okay”, he whispered. 

They were woken up sometime later by Hazel telling them that she was heading out. Will stretched and yawned before throwing himself at the task of waking Nico up. He felt refreshed but he knew that he needed more than just an hour or two of sleep. Nico, ever the heavy sleeper, took a while to wake up.

“Where’s Leo?”, Nico asked as he rubbed his eyes.

“Left, said he had something to do”, Hazel explained as she left the room.

They decided that they should probably do some work now that they were awake. They worked in silence, occasional questions popping up here and there as they got most of it done. 

Will’s phone buzzed with a newly received message. ‘Saturday night, party at Stoll’s. You two up for it?’, read a text from Lou.

“Lou says that there’s a party at the Stoll’s. Wanna go?”, he asked as he glanced at his hunched best friend. 

“Sure”, he replied without looking up at him. Will sighed, happy that Nico agreed before he quickly sent his response back to Lou before going back to work. 

He wasn’t a party person really but he knew that Lacy was going to be there for sure so he wanted to go. Maybe he could even ask her to dance with him or something, he mused. Besides, a little bit of socializing never did anyone any harm, right? And it was a party at Cecil’s place. Everybody went and he didn’t want to miss out on that.

He remembered their deal in the parking lot, “Hey Death Boy?”

Nico only hummed in response which Will took as a sign to continue, “Can we, uh, talk about the whole Lacy thing? Maybe?” Nico finally looked up but it was his turn to avoid eye contact as nervousness settled in his gut. 

“Yeah, sure”, he answered as he laid his pen down. Will follow suit.

“Okay, you’re bothered by the chance of Lacy not being your soulmate right?”, he prompted.

“Yeah”, he nodded as his thoughts went back to her cute smile and shy glances, “I like her, but what if…”

“I know, but you do realize that people rarely get what your parents got, right?”, Nico scooted closer so that they were sitting right across from each other, their knees touching.

“I know”, he ran a frustrated hand across his face, “I just, I want it. I want what they have.” His parents looked so in love even after more than twenty years of being together. They were content and comfortable with each other, their love obvious to anyone who just as much as looked at them.

“Doesn’t mean you have to get it right in the first try. Most people get it a lot later. Papà and Seph only met when he was in his forties remember.” True, Mr. di Angelo and Persephone didn’t look any less happy than his parents but just the mere thought of waiting for that long didn’t sit well in his stomach.

He sighed, played a bit with the bracelets on his wrist, “But it would be so nice”, he sighed wistfully. 

“It would”, a hand rubbed gentle circles into his wrist, “And you’ll get it, one day. For now, if you like her so much, why not give it a shot? Nobody says you have to kiss her.”

He tended to forget about that small fact. He was fixated on the kissing part that he totally forgot that they can date without it, lots of people did that in order to avoid causing harm to their soulmates. People get lonely, it was only natural for them to date until they found their soulmates. It was kind of a silent, mutual agreement between everyone. 

“I don’t even know if she likes me back”, he mumbled eventually.

“Then win her over. She has to be crazy not to see how amazing you are”, Nico’s voice was laced with such sureness, it Will’s heart pang with satisfaction. At least someone thought he was good enough. 

“I’m really not, but thanks”, he tried to argue.

“None of it, Sunshine. You’re smart and funny and kind and you’re not that ugly either”, he teased.

“Oh, look who’s talking”, Will shoved Nico back, making him fall onto the soft sheets.

“I’m just trying to make you feel better.”

“I know. Thanks”, he offered him his hand only to pull him into a firm hug, “What would I do without you?” 

“Probably get lost in that mind of yours. Ready to go back to work or do you want to talk about it some more?”

“I think I’m fine for now”, he smiled. There was still a lot left unanswered but his mind was calmer and he suddenly felt a spark of hope. Nico sure knew how to make him feel better. 

“In that case”, Nico pulled over and snatched the paper that he was writing on, “What’s the answer to number five?”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I remembered this time! TW: underage drinking and mild violence. Also, we finally get some more interesting stuff and backstories so yey!

One, two three, strike.

One, two, three, strike. 

Nico huffed a breath, drops of sweat slid down his forehead. He wiped at it angrily. Pushed the soaked bangs away from his eyes. Squared his jaw.

One, two, three, strike.

One, two, three, strike.

His punches echoed around the room as he went at it with the punching bag. Feet moving swiftly over the floor, arms raised, stance ready for an attack that for sure won’t be coming from the red bag. He slid to the right, left leg kicking out, pushing the bag and making it sway as he welcomed it with a sucker punch. 

He sucked a breath, his lungs burning from the activity. He doesn’t know how long he was going at it. The anger was going up to the dangerous levels that morning, he couldn’t risk it. Nico knew that he was probably just too agitated to go to the party that evening. He was aware that nobody really liked him or wanted him there but he also knew that Will wanted to go and that the blond boy wouldn’t be going without him. He had to say yes.

His arms ached from the repeated movements, hands feeling numb for the past twenty minutes. Nico didn’t care, he still felt too restless. Who knew what could happen later that day? He didn’t need to have a drunken fight with some jerk just because he couldn’t control himself. 

Just as he kicked at the bag once again, the door to his room burst open and in stumbled his sister. He caught the bag, stilled it. His lungs filled with deep breaths as he calmed himself down, dark eyes closed, forehead resting against the rubber surface.

“You okay?” Hazel was standing behind him, not quite touching him but close enough for Nico to feel her presence. She probably didn’t want to touch his sweaty ass, not that he blamed her. He knew that he was probably disgusting at the moment. 

“Yeah. Why?” He turned around, shot her a small smile as he ran a hand through his hair. 

“You haven’t come out in a while. I was just wondering if everything was alright.” She pushed off some clothes from his chair before sitting on it, arms hugging the backrest as she rested her chin on them. 

He sighed, wiped his face with the hem of his shirt. “All good, just a bit worked up today.”

“Because of the party”, it wasn’t a question. Hazel knew him well enough to know that that was the exact reason as to why he was worked up. He silently cursed, still baffled as to how the girl knew him that well. Despite it being a hassle in some situations it still sparked something in his chest. Something warm and cozy and feeling so similar to the feeling he had with Bianca that he sometimes wanted to cry out. 

Finding Hazel was the most unexpected thing that has ever happened to him. She was probably the second-best thing that has ever happened to him. First one being Will, of course. The small girl was alone and abandoned and Nico was just an angry kid who liked to walk around on his own and away from everyone from time to time. 

He remembers how rejected she looked in front of the orphanage. Other kids teasing her and picking at her just like the kids at school did with Nico. Something erupted in him at the moment, when he saw her bottom lip tremble, golden eyes filling with tears as she stood her ground. He interjected, caused a fight, had his father called. But it was worth it. 

Nico made sure to come the next day. It was easy to find her, a mass of cinnamon curls amongst the other kids. Only then did Nico realize that something was different about her and it had nothing to do with the mesmerizing color of her eyes. The little girl sure had her mark just like the rest of them but hers wasn’t faded. No, it was dark.

A dead soulmate.

She was just a kid, no way did she do something to make that happen, he told himself. 

He continued visiting her, growing attached to her small giggles and looks of awe as he brought her stuff Jules made for him. Will accompanied him too, the boy ever so loving and caring as he bandaged the occasional scratches she got from the other kids. 

After a mere month of knowing her, Nico voiced his wish of bringing her home to his parents during dinner. Persephone dropped her fork, eyes filling with tears as she looked at his father and pleaded together with Nico. It didn’t take long for Hades to agree, the man already adoring the small girl he met when he came to pick up his troublemaking son.

It took some time for her to get used to them and life in their house. Hazel was too afraid of making a mistake, having confined Nico that she thought that they’re going to abandon her like the other couple that took her in. Her mother left her at the orphanage after her soulmark turned dark, she explained one day and Nico’s heart shattered. He vowed to keep her safe and away from the hate she did not deserve.

Hazel might not be his sister by blood but she was as good as one. 

“Yeah, because of the party”, he didn’t know what else to tell her. He didn’t do well at them. Everything felt too stuffy, too chaotic. 

“It’s going to be okay”, she smiled at him, the mark stretching with the gesture. He could only nod.

“Is Leo coming?” 

“Yeah, he should be over any minute now.”

Nico nodded, his thoughts going back to the party. “Are you two sure that you’re not coming?” He hoped that they’ll change their mind, already aware that he’ll be left alone at the party at some point. Will was a social butterfly, Nico couldn’t expect him to stand to the side the entire time and hold his hand just because he felt uncomfortable. 

“Yep”, she clicked her tongue, shot him an apologetic look. Nico only shrugged before going to his closet. He grabbed a fresh pair of underwear and nothing else before heading for the attached bathroom. 

“Pick me something to wear or whatever”, he shot back before firmly closing the doors. 

Not like Hazel could go wrong, Everything was black and pretty much the same, anybody could pick him an outfit. Despite Will throwing a fit for years now about how he should get more colorful clothes Nico stuck to the black. Easier that way. He doesn’t have to think much about it as his sleep-deprived self tried to get ready in the early mornings. 

Hot water erupted from the showerhead, immediately fogging up the bathroom mirror. He chugged his sweaty clothes into the laundry basket before stepping under the hot stream. The water soothed his burning skin as he adjusted it to a bit of colder temperature. He tilted his head back, let it wash away all of the sweat that has gathered over his face. 

The mint smell filled the room as he worked on washing his hair. He loved having it long, it made him feel more comfortable with himself. It already reached his shoulders but he wasn’t done with it. The only downside was the washing and drying but he managed. 

Deeming himself clean enough, he stepped out. Nico slipped his underwear on after making sure that he had dried himself with a fluffy towel. He rubbed at his hair, made it all tangled, before grabbing a hairbrush and stepping out. Hazel was sitting on his bed now, phone in hand as she scrolled through whatever. On his previous spot, a pair of black skinny jeans laid alongside a simple black shirt and red flannel. 

“Thanks”, he mumbled, receiving only a nod as a response. She stubbornly stared at her phone, one of her hands coming up to fan the embarrassment away from her face. He quickly put the clothes on, aware that Hazel hated it when he walked around like that. 

“Could you?”, he offered the hairbrush, a timid smile on his face as she glared at him.

“Fine”, she huffed before snatching it, “Why do you always make me do it?”

“First of all, I’m not making you do anything”, he sat down in front of her, feeling her gentle hands in his hair the next moment, “And second of all, you’re more gentle than me.” 

“That’s because you’re too impatient, Neeks”, she teased. He rolled his eyes but otherwise said nothing. 

They sat in silence, only the sound of the brush going through the black strands could be heard before the door burst open once more. 

“Hey, y’all”, Leo cheered before shutting the door behind himself.

“Hey Leo”, Hazel immediately greeted, her voice filled with excitement upon seeing her best friend. 

“Whatcha doing?” Leo threw himself on the bed, head resting on his folded arms as he peered up at them. 

“Making Neeks beautiful so that he can impress a certain someone later”, Hazel’s voice teased, a giggle escaping her at the end of the sentence. 

Nico’s cheeks burned as he avoided eye contact with Leo, huffing a, “Whatever.”

“Aw, look at him. He’s embarrassed”, a tan finger poked his side as the Latino laughed. 

“Do that again, I dare you”, Nico might be flustered but he could still kick his ass if he wanted to. Leo immediately retreated. 

“But seriously dude, why are you nervous?” Leo’s voice indicated that he was serious and Nico hated it. 

He met Leo through Hazel. How did the two of them meet, he wasn’t sure, but he knew that they had a long history. They reminded him a lot of him and Will, with the way they looked after each other and always hung out together. 

Leo was okay, Nico thought. A bit of an annoyance at the times, but a good listener. They’ve had some good conversations and Nico liked to count him as one of his friends. 

In all honesty, he envied the other boy. Born markless, with no worries about soulmates. Leo was perfectly fine like that, claiming that he wouldn’t have known what to do about it otherwise seeing as he had no interest in finding anyone for himself. 

Nico wished for that, life without a damn mark. Life without worrying about hurting or getting hurt. He wanted to be more like that but, alas, life had other plans for him and he was stuck with it. 

“Don’t know”, he shrugged, “I thought you guys would be coming too.”

“Nah, parties aren’t really our thing. Besides, we’d rather have a sleepover.”

Nico would rather have a sleepover too, “Yeah, I get it.” He puffed out his cheeks, played with the colorful bracelet on his wrist. 

“All done”, Hazel suddenly said, “Want me to braid it for you?”

“Nah, I’ll take care of the rest. Thanks”, he kissed her cheek before striding over to the mirror he had in the corner of his room. He pulled half of his hair up in a man bun, letting the rest fall over his shoulders in a small wave. 

His phone flashed, a new message waiting for him. 

“Running a bit late, whoops?”, Will’s message read. 

Nico huffed a laugh, rolled his eyes. “Just get ready, you dork.”

“Are you heading out?”, Hazel asked as he slipped into his jacket. He nodded, placed his phone in his pocket alongside his keys. Nico grabbed his combat boots, pulling on the laces tight and tucking them in before straightening himself.

“I’m sleeping over at Will’s,'' he informed. He knew that his parents didn’t care, as long as he was at one of the two homes. 

“Did you eat dinner?”, Hazel asked instead. She squinted her golden eyes up at him, scanning his whole figure as if she could tell just by looking at him.

He schooled his features, licked his lips, “Yes, don’t worry about it.”

She looked at him some more before her features melted into an easy smile. “Okay then, have fun. Don’t drink too much”, she warned.

“Yeah, we don’t want you coming back home with Will’s babies”, Leo snickered. Nico threw one of his shoes at him before flipping him a bird.

“Very funny, Valdez. I’ll see you two tomorrow.” He didn’t wait for an answer as he left them on his bed. 

Nico parked his car on Solace’s driveway before coming inside. He didn’t bother knocking, has stopped doing that years ago. He heard Mrs. Solace in the kitchen, chatting with Austin. He headed there first, figuring he should at least say hi. 

Her face split into a grin much too similar to Will’s upon seeing him, “Nico, dear. I didn’t hear you coming in.”

“Sorry”, he shuffled a bit, ran a hand through his bangs, “Just wanted to say hi. Is Will upstairs?”

“Running around his room like a madman”, Austin snickered. 

Nico nodded before excusing himself in order to go and join his best friend. He passed by the familiar family pictures on the wall next to the staircase, some of them featuring him too. He smiled a bit at one of him and Will back from Will’s birthday when they were six. Both of them had big smiles stretched over their faces as they hugged each other tightly. He missed being happy and carefree like that.

He entered Will’s room, not thinking much about it and regretted it immediately. 

He froze in place, his brain, and his heart and...his nothing coming prepared for what he was seeing. Will stood in front of his closet, hair still wet from the shower he probably took just minutes ago, a towel wrapped around his waist and just about nothing else on as he scanned his closet with scrunched eyebrows. 

His best friend turned around at the sound of the doors opening, his blinding grin settling on his face upon seeing him. 

“Hey, Death Boy. Close the door will you? It’s kind of chilly like that.” He turned back around and Nico thanked heavens as he closed the door behind himself.

It’s not like he hasn’t seen Will shirtless before. They’ve spent most of their lives together, they’ve seen far too much of each other. Usually he was ready for it. He has never seen him like this, his skin all shiny and soft looking from the shower and so bare and open in front of him. It made his mouth run dry and his face heat up.

He felt angry at himself for feeling like this around his best friend. But the truth was, Will has been growing quite well into his lanky body and no doubt he’ll only continue to be more handsome in the future with his constellation covered skin, blond curls that were too soft for them to be real and eyes bluer than the brightest sky.

Okay, fine. Nico might be having a bit of a crush that might be going on since he was fourteen and aware that Percy Jackson was nothing to be admired about unlike Will. But he swallowed it down, buried his feelings and ignored them. No use in ruining their unique bond with something like this and especially since Will was so set on finding his soulmate and wooing Lacy. 

Did it hurt? Yes, but he’d be damned if he had it any other way.

“Hurry up, will you? We don’t want to be the last one there”, his tone was too harsh making him vince. He prayed that his pale complexion wasn’t going to betray him. 

“Chill, we won’t”, Will easily laughed. He grabbed some stuff Nico didn’t manage to see before turning around to him. “Close your eyes, will ya?”, he asked, his smile timid, cheeks dusting pink. 

Nico sat down on the best, his hands covering his eyes as he listened to the rustling of the fabric. A couple of minutes later Will asked him to open his eyes.

“What do you think?”, he spread his arms out, giving him a little twirl, an expectant look on his face. 

He was wearing red jeans that complimented his tan skin very nicely if you asked Nico, his ass looking better than ever, not that he’d tell him that. Under a baggy denim jacket, he had a plain white crop top with a small sun in the middle. He looked great and Nico made sure to tell him that, enjoying the way Will averted his eyes, a shy smile settling on his face at the praise. 

“Well, you’re not so bad yourself”, he replied with a wink, which did strange things to Nico’s insides. 

He turned back to his mirror, a couple of clips in hand as he made sure that his hair was nice enough. They headed out, bidding their goodbyes to Mrs. Solace and Austin with promises of being back on time later that evening. 

“I’m so pumped up for this”, Will gushed as he squirmed in his seat, looking like an overexcited puppy.

“I can tell.”

“Do you think that she’ll like my outfit?”, it was a childish question, a clear sign that Will was definitely overthinking this. He didn’t need to clarify who “she” was, Nico knew and it stung his heart just a bit.

He smiled, wide and reassuring and honest, “Course she will. I already told you, you look great. Don’t worry about it. You’re here to have a good time.”

Will visibly deflated, took a deep breath, smiled back at him, “Yeah, you’re right. Thanks.”

“No problem.”

There were already a bunch of cars parked in front of Cecil’s house by the time they got there. Music boomed all the way to the outside, shouts and yells spilling into the dark street as the two approached. 

Nico dreaded going in but he knew that he couldn’t escape it, especially now that he was already there. He took a deep, steadying breath, felt a hand slip into his. His eyes immediately snapped to Will’s who was looking straight ahead. 

His heart soared with the appreciation of the other boy. He loved how they didn’t have to use words, Will always knew when Nico needed him. 

They entered the house. The air smelled like cheap alcohol and teenage hormones. He recognized people from school, but everybody just ignored them which he was glad for. 

There was a small DJ station placed to their left, in the middle of the vast living room. By DJ station, he meant a literal DJ. He didn’t know what Cecil’s parents did for life, but the people clearly had money and weren’t afraid to let their kids waste it. To his right was an opening to the kitchen where he could spot an island filled with red solo cups, no doubt containing some sort of alcohol. 

“Wanna get a drink?”, he shouted at Will over the loud bass. He received a nod and so they started making their way there, pushing and squeezing between the sweaty bodies. 

The kitchen air was a bit fresher and the noise wasn’t as unbearable. Nico felt as if he could let his guard down just a bit. He grabbed two cups before extending one to Will. They both took a sip, their faces twisting into awful grimaces once the bitter taste reached their tongues. 

It wasn’t his first time drinking. Living with Italian dad meant that there was always some wine around. He didn’t drink much, only having been drunk once in his life and it was for Will's sixteenth birthday, but he did enjoy the taste and the way it made him feel just a bit more alive. 

Nico didn’t know what was in the cup but it sure did taste good which he proved by taking another sip. 

“The Stoll’s sure know how to throw a party, huh?”, Will nudged his side as he happily observed the crowd around them which only seemed to grow. 

“It’s gotta be a wild night, Sunshine”, he didn’t recognize half of the people there. 

“Will!”, Lou’s shrilling voice sounded from behind them. The duo barely had time to turn around before she flung herself at Wil,l efficiently spilling half of his drink.

“Whoops, sorry about that”, she giggled. Nico guessed that she was already tipsy which proved to be true the second she threw herself at him too. 

“Hey there di Angelo”, her alcohol smelling breath fanned his face. Nico stiffened before pushing her off, a death glare set and directed at the brightly dressed girl. 

“Nice to see you too Lou”, he grumbled. He didn’t mind Lou all that much but he also knew that she didn’t like him one bit. He only hung out with her because of Will, the other boy being too fond of her. 

“Cool party, right? Cecil knows his shit”, she grabbed another cup from the island. Nico wouldn’t have done that in her place but it wasn’t up to him to tell her what to and what not to do. 

“Yeah, I didn’t expect this many people to show up”, Will commented, his eyes trained on the dancing crowd.

“Neither did they”, she snickered as she leaned on to Will, “But it’s awesome. So many hot people. I just made out with some girl in the bathroom, got her number.”

Nico saw Will stiffening at the words and he completely agreed with his reaction. Lou was acting too carelessly and Will made sure to tell her that.

“Relax Willy”, she straightened herself, waved her hands around to prove a point, “We’re in high school, what better time for some adventure?”

Neither of the boys said anything. She stayed with them for a couple of minutes more before trailing after a group of people that she supposedly knew. Nico finished his cup, immediately grabbed another.

“You wanna get drunk too?”, Will asked one elegant eyebrow raised as he peered behind his own cup. 

Nico pouted, “No, but I don’t know what else to do.”

“Then it’s a good thing you have your best friend around”, Will threw his cup at the empty pile before lowering Nico’s on the island once again. He grabbed his hand, intertwined their fingers and started making his way through the crowd. Nico could only follow. 

“Where are we going?”

“To the dancefloor, duh.” He stopped once they reached the dancing crowd, turning around and squeezing his hand. “Wanna dance with me Death Boy?” 

Nico’s heart gave a weak flutter, heat rising to his cheeks once again before he nodded. Will didn’t hesitate to pull him further into the crowd before spinning him around and firmly grasping Nico’s hands.

“Just relax. Imagine we’re alone, okay?”, he winked.

Nico thanked God that it was dark in the room with only some flashing lights making them able to see. He took a deep breath, filled his lungs with even more of that disgusting air before releasing it and gripping onto Will’s hands.

Will was always a better dancer than him. He moved his lanky body smooth across the dancefloor, his hips rocking from side to side as he pulled him around, an adorable giggle leaving his lips. Nico tried not to get too distracted by the way his best friend’s body moved but it was a hard task. 

By some wonder, he found himself flush against Will who held on tightly as they both laughed and danced in the crowd, disregarding the other people around them. Nico was completely relaxed now, enjoying the closeness and almost not blushing. He loved the way Will just let himself be, soaking the atmosphere of the crowd which was only getting louder and, judging by the clumsy movements, drunker. 

The music came to a stop, everybody’s eyes immediately flying to the DJ booth where a flustered Connor Stoll stood, his chest rising and falling as he scanned the crowd with wide eyes. 

“Everybody”, he suddenly yelled and if all of the eyes weren’t on him already they for sure were now, “I have an announcement!” 

“Just tell us you bitch”, his brother, Cecil, yelled from the crowd, making people around him laugh. 

“Fuck you! Listen up, this guy”, he pointed at himself, as if that wasn’t already obvious, His words were a bit slurred, so Nico guessed that it had something to do with everything, “Has just found his soulmate”, he finished, his finger now pointing at a brown-haired girl whose face looked as if it was ready to combust. Katie Gardner, Nico recognized, gave a shy wave at the roaring crowd. People started congratulating them, whistles and hollers filling the room. 

Nico smiled a bit, happy for them as well. How could he not be? Finding a soulmate was a big deal after all. He glanced at Will and immediately regretted it. 

Will’s eyes were glossed over, look distant, He was stoic in the middle of the, once again moving, crowd, no doubt lost in some daydream. Nico rolled his eyes as he took him by the hand and guided him out and towards the backyard. 

“You good there?”, he breathed in the fresh night air, grateful for the excuse to finally go out. 

“Y-yeah”, Will stuttered as he came to his senses, “Sorry, but Nico…. They found each other”, his voice was filled with awe Nico knew too well.

“They did.”

“They found their perfect match.”

“They did.”

“That’s...that’s...wow”, he sighed, leaned against the wall and Nico joined him as he slid down on the wooden floor. 

“Yeah, wow”, he agreed. 

“Imagine that being you”, Will’s eyes were closed, a small smile gracing his lips as he, no doubt, imagined his perfect person kissing him for the first time. Nico tried to do as instructed but his mind only supplied images of a certain blond so he only shook his head and said nothing. 

More people poured outside, no doubt seeking some fresh air too and Nico had to contain his annoyance at their peace being ruined. His silent pouting has been interrupted, however, when a certain blond-haired girl approached them, a timid smile on her face.

“Um, hi?”, she greeted, eyes trained on Will and avoiding Nico’s at all costs. 

Blue eyes flew open, “Lacy! H-hi, there”, Will awkwardly greeted, his cheeks dusting pink already. Nico rolled his eyes. 

“Yeah, hi. I… didn’t know you were coming tonight.”

“Yeah, Death Boy and I decided to join everyone and see what the deal is about”, he tilted his head to the side, nodding in Nico’s direction who only crossed his arms and nodded.

“That’s nice.” An awkward silence surrounded them, even Nico felt it. He was forced to painfully watch the two of them blush and stutter as they struggled to find something to talk about. Deciding that he had enough of it, he nudged Will’s side. 

“Ask her to dance, dork”, he muttered. He knew that he was only hurting himself by doing this but he'd rather help Will than be forced to watch this whole mess.

Will immediately straightened, “Yes! Thank you!” He scrambled up, fixed his jacket, shot her his signature grin, “Wanna dance with me for a bit?” 

She glanced down at the outreached freckled hand before her eyes flew quickly to Nico. He schooled his features, made sure none of his discomfort showed as she studied him for a bit. After a couple of seconds, her hand rested in Will’s as she smiled shyly at him. 

“I’d love to.” Will’s smile only bloomed at the words and without even saying goodbye he guided her back inside. 

Nico took another deep breath. What was he supposed to do now? Technically he could go and find someone to keep him company. He was on pretty good terms with all of the Stoll brothers but he didn’t feel like it. 

After some time of just sitting outside on the cold floor, he went back in for another drink. One drink turned into two, and two turned into three, and before he knew it everything felt better and he was swaying a bit in place. 

He grabbed an abandoned chair, straddled it and rested his head on his folded arms as he observed the crowd. Dark eyes settled on the dancefloor and, without any issues, he spotted the familiar mop of blond curls. 

Will looked happy as he and Lacy danced, both of them smiling and blushing but looking like they were having the time of their lives. He wished that was him, that he was the cause of that blush but he knew that it was just a silly dream. Will will never look at him like that and especially not if he knew that there was a perfect someone out there for him who definitely wasn’t Nico.

He grabbed another cup. He was already pretty drunk, one more couldn’t hurt. Nico sipped on his drink, his eyes never leaving Will. He felt bad for feeling jealous but he just couldn’t help it. She had all of Will’s attention in the ways Nico could only dream about. He hoped that she knew just how lucky she was. 

By the looks of it, he was glaring too harshly. People avoided him and stayed out of his line of vision. That was fine by him, he didn’t feel like socializing anyway. He was too worked up at the moment.

Suddenly, Lacy stopped and checked her phone, a frown on her red-coated lips. She shot Will an apologetic look before giving him a brief hug and leaving. Will watched her for some time. Just as he started to turn around, some dude approached him. Even from this far Nico could see how close he was leaning into Will’s space.

Will obviously felt uncomfortable, an awkward smile on his face as he tried to dodge him. It was no use, the guy had already got Will’s wrist in his hand and tugged him closer as he tried to grind into him. Will struggled against him. The unknown guy was clearly a bit older and drunk out of his mind and too stubborn for his own good, Nico concluded.

Nico was on his feet in an instant, swaying on his spot a bit. He shook his head, fixed his jacket and headed straight towards the dancefloor. Will made eye contact with him, a look of relief washing over his face, blue eyes pleading for help. Nico didn’t wait. He tapped the guy’s shoulder and just as he turned around, a pissed off look on his face at being interrupted, Nico’s fist connected with his jaw.

It looks like he was going to fight some drunk guy after all.

“I thought that it was obvious that he didn’t want to dance with you”, Nico growled. His intoxicated brain was a bit sluggish as he stared him down. The guy staggered on his feet, holding onto the punched spot before Nico landed another one in his nose.

“Fuck off before I change my mind”, he spat at him. He didn’t wait for his response, grabbing Will’s hand and dragging him away, the room tilting a bit as he walked. His knuckles throbbed but he ignored it, he just needed Will to feel safe. 

“Are you okay?”, he asked once they were out of the house, his tone soft and tentative. Will’s eyes flew to his, blue filled with concern. 

“I should be asking you that”, he countered.

“Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine”, only then did Nico notice just how slurred his words were. He frowned at himself, displeased by it. Will matched his expression.

“How much did you drink?”

“I have no idea. Who cares?”, he shrugged. 

Will nodded, grabbed his hands into his, inspected his knuckles, “We should get some ice on it.”

Nico’s hand tingled all over, fingers twitching in Will’s grasp, “It’s okay. It’s not that bad. Are you okay though?”

“Yeah, that was….yeah”, his gaze fell and Nico immediately hugged him.

“Wanna go home?”, he offered.

“Please”, Will sighed. 

Nico huffed a bit as he struggled to pull his car keys out of his pocket. Once out, he put them into Will’s open hand. The other boy helped him stand up, his arm firmly wrapped around his waist as they made their way towards the car.   
The car ride back home was a blur seeing as Nico started dozing off the second he sat down again. Will only laughed as he helped him put on his seat belt. He kept the radio off, bless him, as he drove them home.   
Will had to constantly shush him as they made their way towards his room, aware that his parents and Austin were asleep and would kill them if they found Nico drunk. Once in Will’s room, Nico struggled to get out of his clothes. Will giggled a bit as he helped him get out of his jeans. He threw him one of his hoodies as he changed into something more comfortable, too. Nico snuggled into it, enjoying how soft and warm it is, how it smelled like honey and lemon, just like Will.

“Do you feel okay?”, Will threw him a water bottle.

Nico took a couple of gulps from it, nausea taking place in his stomach. “I’ll be fine”, he slurred once he deemed himself good enough not to throw up. 

Will nodded, his eyes never leaving Nico as the smaller boy made his way to bed. He wriggled under the sheets, patted the empty side of the bed, “Come.” 

Will slowly crawled over, settling by Nico’s side and turning the light off. As soon as he lowered himself fully on the bed, Nico wrapped himself around him, burying his face into the crook of his neck.

“Clingy much?”, Will teased.

“Shut up, I’m trying to make you feel better”, he mumbled. “Is it working?”

“Yeah”, Will’s tone was a bit strained and Nico’s intoxicated brain took it as a sign to hold tighter and pull him closer.

“Night, Sunshine.”

“Night.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lots happens in this one and this is probably one of the longest ones I wrote in the entire thing so...yeah lol. Hope you'll enjoy and please don't ship hate or something, not cool

Will never thought of himself as a lucky person. He was always late. He lost his stuff easily. Seriously, a pair of earphones can’t even last him a week before he loses them. He messed up his makeup way too easily and broke stuff in record time. Food stains, spilling his drinks, missing a bus, anything bad that you could think of has probably happened to him a million times. He just always had shitty luck. Between him and his siblings he was the one who ended up with the worst one. 

Austin was a music prodigy, has been from a young age. Their parents sent him off to a fancy music school and he was attending a special high school now. Everyone is certain that he’s going to be the next best thing and Will couldn’t be prouder of him. On the other hand, Will can’t even hit a note.

Kayla, his baby sister as he liked to tease her, is a story of her own. They’ve sent her off to some all-girls boarding school thanks to her archery skills. She can hit a bullseye no matter how far the target is. But, that talent also came with a curse. For Will. He couldn’t risk making her angry or else he was risking running down the street to save his ass from the angered redhead. She tried to teach him once but all he managed was to cause a fire on their family picnic. He never tried again. 

The point is, Will had the worst luck. This is exactly the reason why he found himself sitting in his bio class, reminiscing on the last month of his life because, holy shit, was it an interesting one. Maybe his luck took a turn? 

He managed to score Lacy’s number at the party and, after a week of non-stop texting, Nico managed to talk him into asking her out. To his utter surprise she said yes and they’ve been dating for almost a month now. 

He got to know her a lot better. Will loved how he can discuss makeup and fashion with her and how she never judged him for it. They usually spent their time at the mall or the local cafe, just talking and enjoying each other’s company. He loved how they could just laugh and hang out. There was still a bit of tension between them but he supposed that it was only natural since this was the first time that either of them had a relationship.

Will did spill his coffee on her once. He felt like an utter idiot and couldn’t stop apologizing the entire day for ruining her outfit but she just laughed it off and reassured him that it was okay. At least she was fine with him being a clutz.

His friends have been nothing but supportive. Nico was always there to give him a boost for his dates with a friendly eye roll and a literal push on his back. Lou and her advice always came in handy and Cecil...well, he was there and that's what mattered. His family was also cool with it. His dad even encouraged him, claiming that it would be good for him to get out there a bit. Will blushed heavily but was secretly glad that he was on the board with it.

A small smile graced his face as he tried to listen to his teacher’s lecture. He felt truly happy about the way his life was currently going. Actually, he couldn’t remember the last time he was that happy. With that thought, he snapped back into reality and packed his stuff to head out to his last class. 

He went towards his locker and per usual struggled to get it to open. With a victorious whoop, the locker door flew open but then he was attacked by the falling books. He really needs to get this sorted out before it kills him one of these days. 

He rummaged through his backpack with one hand while his other one held the books in place. Just as he was getting ready to do the swap, Will felt a tap on his shoulder.

“One second”, he muttered. He pushed the books and quickly snatched the one that he needed before pushing them in once more and slamming the locker shut. He winced at the sound, praying that none of the teachers will come at him for it. 

Will spun on his heel only to come face to face with his girlfriend. “Lacy, hi”, he smiled at her, unable to stop himself. He always smiled when she was with him.

“Hi”, she chuckled, “How’s it going with that?”, she nodded her head towards his locker. Will felt his face flushing.

He rubbed the back of his neck, “Uh, good, good. I was just thinking about sorting stuff through to make it a bit easier.”

“Sounds like a good plan.”

“Yep. How’s your day going?”, he asked in hopes of distracting her enough from the mess that was actually him. 

“It’s okay. I actually came to check if we are still going out after school today”, a shy smile settled on her face. Even after a month of being together, she still got shy around him and Will’s heart melted every time. 

“Yeah, of course”, his arm settled around her shoulders, “What’s your next class? I’ll walk to you there”, he offered.

“Oh, y-you don’t need to do that”, a heavy blush covered her face this time.

“But I want to.”

“It’s History”, she answered, eyes cast down. Will counted it as a win when a small smile took a place on those red coated lips. 

They were slowly making their way through school, walking in silence, when Lou slammed into them.

“There you are!”, she shouted as she shook Will’s shoulders.

“Lou if this is about you flirting with that girl from your geography class again, I swear to God…”, Will began but was rudely cut off by his friend who started dragging him towards the way that she came from.

“Shut up you idiot and come!”, was all she said.

Will braced his legs on the ground, stubbornly glaring at Lou, “No, I was just walking Lacy to her class. Can’t it wait?” 

The purple-haired girl turned around, eyes wide and panicky, “You either come or Nico kills Bryce.” 

At the mention of Nico’s name, Will’s eyes blew wide before his usual determined look settled on. This time it was him who was dragging Lou, Lacy hot on their heels. He knew that it couldn’t be good if Lou came directly to him to get him there and it especially couldn’t be good if she came to him at all. They usually let small stuff go under the radar since Nico and fighting was a pretty daily thing.

“Why didn’t you just say so? And why didn’t you call me sooner?”, he chided as he ran through the halls, trying to avoid knocking into any of the other students but it looked like everyone was heading in the same direction. That wasn’t good. 

“I tried but you weren’t answering your phone. Turn left here!”, Will almost slammed into some boy in his poor attempt to do as Lou instructed, “We thought nothing of it until a crowd started gathering. Nobody can break them off and Nico looks like he’s ready to kill.” 

Will’s blood chilled at the words. He knew that his best friend was problematic at the times but he couldn’t remember the last time he was that angry. Judging by Lou’s behavior and the way her eyes looked scared as she explained the situation, Nico was pissed the fuck out. 

They came to a stop once they reached a big crowd that seemingly formed a circle. Lacy and Lou stayed behind but Will only pushed his way through, muttering apologises the entire way. He breached through it and finally froze in his spot when he came face to face with two boys, both of them circling each other, blood on their faces and knuckles. On the far left stood Hazel who was holding a trashing Leo.

“Let go of me woman! He needs a good ass-kicking from McShizzle, too”, Leo screamed but Hazel seemed to have it all under control as she held his arms and pulled him down on the ground.

“What”, Bryce’s voice drew Will’s attention, “can’t handle it, di Angelo? Face it, your sister is good for nothing like that just like the other one.”

Nico’s face darkened as he braced himself, fists drawn tight and fire flashing in those dark eyes. He didn’t say a word as he swung his fist at Bryce’s face while the other one aimed at his stomach. 

“He can’t defend both of those”, he once explained to Will. Sure enough, Bryce went for defending his face just as the other fist connected with his stomach and made him double over. Nico didn’t seem willing to stop as he loomed over him, leg drawn out and ready to kick. 

Will snapped back into reality and rushed over. He stumbled next to his best friend, hands ready and wrapping around Nico’s wrists. Nico turned his head, death glare set before realising who it was. His expression flattered, but only for a second before growing dark again. 

“Let go of me, Will”, he turned back towards Bryce, leg still in the air and struggling to get himself free from Will.

“No”, Will shook his head, “I think that this was enough.”

“It’s not!”, Nico defended as he turned back towards Will. The fire in his eyes dimmed a bit. Will needed him to look at him if he wanted to calm him down, “You haven’t heard what he said, Sunshine.” His voice was more of a whine now, Will’s heart broke.

“I know. And I think that whatever it was, he deserved this. But I also think that this is enough. He’s already on the floor and both of you are going to be covered in bruises tomorrow.”

“No”, Nico frowned, that fire returning, “I’m not done. Not until I make sure that he won’t do this again. I’ve had enough.”

Will knew that Nico hated Bryce. The older boy loved to pick on him and taunt him until Nico was shaking with anger and could do nothing but attack. Will knew that he just wanted to get Nico into as much trouble as possible and he couldn’t let it happen. As much as he hated him, he wouldn't allow Nico to do something that he’d regret. It wasn’t worth it.

“I’m sorry about this”, he muttered.

“What are you--”, Nico’s question was cut off once Will’s arms wrapped around his waist. He hoisted the smaller boy up and over his shoulder as he trashed and kicked. Will knew that Nico didn’t mean to hurt him but he couldn’t help but wince at some of the punches he received on his back. 

The crowd parted in front of him as he carried Nico as far away as possible. He just needed to take him somewhere private so that he could cool down. He knew that his best friend was out of control at the moment and he couldn’t help but feel sympathetic. Whatever Bryce said was obviously about Nico’s family and that was the lowest of the blows that one could make with him.

“The classroom A007 is usually free at this time”, Cecil offered from his left. Will didn’t notice, but all of their friends were slowly trailing behind them. 

“Thanks”, he nodded. Nico’s protests have dimmed down a bit but he was still shouting at him to put him down. 

“We’ll go to class and tell the teacher that you guys have a situation”, Lou reassured as she held the door open for them to come in.

“Thanks guys. We’ll probably be stuck here for some time.”

“Don’t worry about it. We get it , man”, Cecil’s heavy hand patted his shoulder before he and Lou walked back out and shut the door behind them.

“Will”, Hazel called as he dropped his backpack on the floor, “Leo and I will be in the front in case someone tries to come in. Call if you need anything.” 

Will didn’t answer as she led Leo out and shut the door once again. He lowered Nico on his feet before settling down on the floor. His best friend was now quiet, head bowed down, as he stood there, as still as a statue. Will sighed before taking his hand gently into his and pulling him down. With no effort, Nico settled on his lap, his head falling into the crease between Will’s shoulder and neck, his thighs straddling Will’s hips.

“It’s okay”, he whispered, hand rubbing soothing circled into Nico’s back, “Just breath.”

Nico only nodded but Will could feel him taking deep breaths, his exhales warming his neck and making his shiver. Will just held him, knowing that it grounded Nico and offered him a sense of security. He once explained how it was hard for him to calm himself down, the feeling of floating away being too strong at the times. 

Will could feel Nico’s face sticking to his skin, no doubt because of the blood that was coming from somewhere on his face. His blue eyes settled on his backpack, three feet away. He groaned but then a movement caught his eye. He didn’t notice that Lacy was still inside, sitting quietly and waiting. She shuffled towards his backpack before bringing it to him, a small smile resting on her lips as she glanced at the crumbled boy in his lap.

“Thanks”, he whispered as he gripped it. Luckily, Will knew to bring first aid kits anywhere he went in case something like this happened. He quickly snatched the white box and opened it at his side. He hoped that he had enough of everything to pacth his best friend up. 

“Death Boy?”, he softly called, “How about we patch you up a bit now, huh?” He placed a small kiss on the crown of his head, his hand resting on Nico’s shoulder, trying to coax him to sit up again. Nico obliged, his eyes still cast down and avoiding Will’s. 

“Let me see”, he took Nico’s chin in his hand before tilting his face to get a better look. There was already a bruise forming at his jaw, bright red and painful looking. Blood was coming from his split lip that was being chewed on by the boy. “Don’t do that”, he chided, his thumb resting on the said lip and drawing it out of his grip. He ran a hand through Nico’s long hair before clipping his bangs away from his face.

“Sorry”, Nico’s voice was barely above a whisper, sounding small and scared. He played with the strings of Will’s hoodie, still refusing to meet his eyes.

“It’s okay. Just let me check it out.” He worked methodically, cleaning and bandaging the cuts and bruises on the pale boy’s face. He placed a Hello Kitty bandage on Nico’s chin, hoping to make him laugh or scoff or anything but no reaction came. 

Just as he took Nico’s hand into his, Nico’s voice sounded again. “I’m sorry Sunshine.”

“What for?”, he carefully bended each finger, his eyes trained on Nico’s face, waiting to see if he’ll wince at any of the movements. 

“For fighting, for punching you, and for...this”, he knew that this implied them sitting in an abandoned classroom but Will didn’t care about any of it.

“It’s okay”, he reassured.

“I...I didn’t mean for it to go this far, you know? He just…”, he stopped, cheeks puffed out for a second before continuing, “He insulted Hazel, because of her mark”, Will’s eyes immediately flew to Nico’s, “And I know that I shouldn’t have reacted but I could see how hurt she was and then he brought Bia into all of it and mum and dad and I...I lost it.” Small tears were gathering into his eyes now. Will knew that it was all out of frustration from not being able to control himself and letting everything get out of hand again. 

“It’s okay”, he cupped his face, his thumbs sweeping the tears away before they could slide down his cheeks. He kept his tone soft, “He shouldn’t have said that. I’m proud of you for defending your sisters and I’m sure that they are too. You shouldn’t have gone that far but it’s over now and damage has been done.”

“How much trouble do you think that I’ll be in?”, Nico asked as Will worked on bandaging his hands. His knuckles are going to be seriously bruised for a while but at least nothing seemed broken.

“A lot”, he chuckled, hoping to lighten up the situation a bit. Nico only shuffled on his lap. 

“Hey”, he called and finally, finally, those dark eyes met his. Will could feel himself smiling at him already. “You kicked his ass so bad that I don’t think that he’ll ever try it again”, he tried. That gained him a small chuckle and a ghost of a smile.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, trust me. Lawrence will have to think twice before crossing your path again. Nobody wants to get their ass kicked by small emo.” 

“Thanks, you dork”, Nico whispered, his eyes cast down again, his cheeks flushed a bit but that smile was a bit bigger and Will counted it as another win. He quickly finished his work with another set of Hello Kitty bandages, this time getting some protests from his best friend. 

Will only laughed before kissing his cheek with a muttered shut up. His eyes met with Lacy’s over Nico’s shoulder as he did so. She was looking at them, her eyes scrunched up. Her whole face seemed weird as she took both of them in, sat on the floor with their arms now wrapped around each other. Lacy realised that she was being watched. She shook herself out of it and smiled at Will as if nothing was up. 

Will just told himself to ask her about it later before making sure that Nico was in no need of any more checking up.

“I’m fine, doc”, he assured with an eye roll before pushing himself off and offering his hand to Will who gladly took it, “But thanks.” He hugged Will once again before stepping away. 

“Of course, that’s what I’m here for”, Will winked. He bent down and picked up his stuff.

“Oh, hi Lacy”, he heard Nico say from behind him, “How, uh, how long have you been here?”

“The entire time”, Lacy chuckled. Will straightened up just in time to catch Nico’s cheeks flaring red before his panicked eyes glared at Will.

“You could’ve told me!”

“What? It’s not a big deal.”

“Yes, it is. Oh, my God”, he groaned before he snatched the clip out of his hair and let it fall back over his face.

“Don’t be like that. And get that hair out of your face, it’s better when I can see your eyes”, he tried to draw his bangs back away but only got his hand slapped.

“No, I want it to hide me from my embarrassment.”

“Oh, don’t be dramatic. It’s really not a big deal”, Will rolled his eyes but he let his best friend be for now. 

“Yeah, it’s really okay. I, uh, hope that you’re feeling better now, though”, Lacy tried, her eyes unsure. She and Nico haven’t had many interactions so far and she confessed to being scared of him. Will only laughed and assured her that there was no reason to be but he supposed that situations like these were the exact reason as to why she was scared. 

“I’m fine”, Nico muttered before he started making his way out. 

“Where are you going?”, Will immediately headed after him.

“Home, no use in staying here any longer, the class is almost finished and you have a date so…” 

“Actually”, Lacy started before she stopped Will with a hand on his own, “I was thinking that we could reschedule. I think that he needs you more than I do right now and we could always go tomorrow”, she whispered to him.

Will’s heart swelled with adoration and gratefulness for his girlfriend. He wrapped her in a firm hug before kissing her cheek, surprising both of them since he hasn’t done that so far, “Thank you so much. I’ll text you later, okay?”

“Y-yeah, okay.”

He smiled at her once again before racing after Nico and wrapping his arm around his shoulders, “Or”, he continued as if their conversation never stopped, “we pick Hazel and Leo up and go to McDonald’s?”

“But what about…?”

“Something came up, we’ll go tomorrow. So?”

Nico glanced behind them where Lacy stood before his eyes locked with Will’s again, “Yeah, okay.”

Hazel and Leo were sitting on the floor at the end of the corridor and were happy for the opportunity to head out sooner. All of them knew that their parents won’t be happy with them for skipping their last classes but it was already done so why shouldn’t they go out and have some fun? Nico was probably going to be in a lot of trouble tomorrow anyway so they might as well use the opportunity to have some fun.

“Oh, I totally forgot!”, Nico gasped once they settled into their booth.

“What?”

“I should’ve punched him first”, Loe grumbled, still hung up about not doing anything. He didn’t stop pouting the entire day there but Hazel just told them to let him be. 

“Jason texted me. He wants us to come to his place tonight.”

“Us who?”, Hazel asked.

“Here”, was Nico’s answer. He gave his phone to Will. He quickly unlocked it and went to Nico’s messages with Jason.

“Tonight, my place. Bring your sister and your guys’ shadows”, he read. Will frowned just in time when Hazel chuckled. “Your shadows?”

“He means you and Leo.”

“Hey! Leo Valdez ain’t nobody's shadow”, Leo protested, finally snapping back in reality.

“Has he seen me? I’m too fabulous to be anyone’s shadow. If anybody is a shadow in this relationship, it’s you Death Boy”, he booped Nico’s nose before going after his fries.

“In your dreams”, he teased before pushing them away from Will’s grabby hands. “Get your own fries.” 

“Just one”, he pouted, his best puppy eyes kicking in.

They held a short stare-off before Nico sighed with an eye roll and pushed them back towards Will. “Fine.” 

“Thank you”, he said as he popped a fry into his mouth, a grin fighting his way on his face.

“What do you think he wants us for?”, Hazel cut in.

“No clue. Doubt that he missed us. I actually haven’t heard from him in a while”, Nico shrugged. Will knew that Nico was still a bit bummed out by the fact that Jason moved on from him. The two of them were close as kids but he guessed that people changed and both of them went their separate ways. They still talked but it wasn’t the same.

“Guess there’s only one way to find out then”, Leo cheered before he dove in and chugged the whole shake. He complained about it for the next half an hour, much to their dismay.

~~~  
“I’m coming, I’m coming”, Will shouted as he ran down the stairs and promptly tripped and fell down the rest of them. 

“Ugh”, he groaned before lifting himself up. Austin roared with laughter from his place at the top of them. “Shut up, Aus!”

“Better go before he comes over here”, Austin teased. 

“Yeah, yeah”, he grumbled before glaring at his untied shoes. No wonder that he tripped. 

He quickly tied them up before storming with a yelp. He was really playing with fire now. 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I tripped and fell on my way out”, he rushed to explain as soon as he sat down. 

“You okay?”, Leo’s head popped between the seats, startling him and making him yelp yet again.

“What are you doing here?”, he asked instead. 

“Going to Superman’s. Why?”

“I thought that we’ll be picking you up from your place.” 

“Nah, I didn’t feel like going back there. Besides, Hazel and I had something to work on so it was better like this.” 

“Yeah, okay.”

“Are you okay, though?”, Hazel asked as she pushed Leo away so that she could look at him this time.

“All good, don’t worry.”

“You really should watch out more, that’s the third time you fell like that this week”, Nico complained, his eyes trained on the road as he drove.

“So? It happens.”

“Will, it’s Tuesday.” 

Will didn’t say a word, choosing to pout instead. He fell, so what? Okay, he felt embarrassed. It wasn’t his fault, not like he wanted it to happen or anything. The rest of the ride was spent in silence, radio playing some pop tune as they drove towards New York where Jason’s apartment was. Will hoped that he would get a chance to move there too, once he goes to college. It would definitely be easier for him. 

“Okay, everyone out”, Nico instructed when he parked the car. They all did as they were told before shuffling towards Jason’s building. Cold December air bit at their exposed skin as they waited for him to open the building door. The inside heat was greatly appreciated as they made their way up the stairs. 

“Why didn’t he get a building with an elevator?”, Leo groaned as they reached the third floor, only the third of the way there. Everyone shared his pain but they didn’t comment on it, opting to just walk and pray that it'll be over soon.

They finally reached the ninth floor and had to stand there for a bit to just catch their breaths. Damn New York and tall buildings without elevators! Hazel slowly shuffled towards the door and knocked on it. They got no reaction so she went for it the second time but instead of a knock, she pounded on the door. They flew open in a flash.

“You’re here!”, Jason cheered as he welcomed them in. Will could hear more people inside. The air was a bit stuffy but it smelled like cookies so he didn’t complain much. “Come, everyone has been waiting. We thought that you’d be here earlier.”

“We were supposed to but then someone took too much time”, Nico explained, earning a smack on the back of his head from Will. 

“Perfection takes time”, was all he said in his defense before going after Jason. He skidded to a halt once he reached the living room where eight people sat. 

“Guys, they’re here!”, Jason announced as if nobody noticed four people standing at the doorway. 

“You guys took your time”; Percy commented. 

Will then recognized some of them. Percy was sat next to his best friends Grover and Rachel, Will got a chance to meet them when they were younger. And off in the back sat Reyna, Jason’s best friend, and her girlfriend Thalia who was also Jason’s sister. Will heard that they were soulmates and he couldn’t help but smile at the sight of them. It was the first time that he saw them together. They fit really well. 

“It’s…”, Nico started before Will cut him off with a hand on his mouth.

“It’s not my fault!”

“Kind of is”, Hazel snickered. Will only glared at her.

“Doesn’t matter. Let me introduce you to the gang”, Jason stated. 

In the end, Will found himself talking with Annabeth and Percy who told him about their college lives. Percy was actually living with Jason now. It made sense, the two of them went way back so he assumed that it was easier for them to live together than to bother with random roommates. They told him some of their stories from high school and the time that Grover almost ate an empty soda can for some reason. Grover cut in at that point to try and defend himself but the damage had been done and it took Will good ten minutes to stop laughing.

“Stop it, man! It’s not that funny”, Grover exclaimed but Will couldn’t stop.

“It really is. What were you thinking?”, he asked, his whole frame still shaking with stifled laughs.

“I was trying to prove a point”, Grover grumpled.

“And failed”, Annabeth said before patting his back sympathetically. Grover only slumped more in his seat, his rasta cap falling a bit over his eyes.

“So, Will, how is stuff going with you? Anything interesting?”, Percy asked. 

Will never really knew Percy that well. He supposed that they could consider themselves friends but he used the term loosely. That being said, Percy has always been nothing but kind towards him and he had to admit that Will always admired him a bit. The guy was impressive after all, both with his looks and incredible talents. 

He racked his brain for anything but came out empty, “Not really, same old.” 

“Really? How is the hunt for the soulmate going?”, Percy checked, knowing how big of a deal that was to Will.

“Nothing yet”, he smiled. “I do have a girlfriend but I’m still not sure. Haven’t tried to test it”, his smile turned sheepish.

“Hey, it’s okay. Take your time. Nobody is rushing anything”, Annabeth clasped his shoulder, “It’s okay to try and fail but it’s also okay to not try yet. Just enjoy yourself. You’ll get there.”

“Thanks.”

“Yeah, bro, it took me years to…”, but Percy cut himself off before jumping in his place. His head snapped towards Jason who was now trying to stop Piper and Leo from going out of the room. 

“J!”, he called, immediately grabbing the other blond’s attention.

“Huh?”

“Should we…?”

Jason stared at him for a bit before his eyes widened. He dropped Piper’s and Leo’s arms, making them both topple on the ground, before clapping his hands.

“May I have your attention, please!”

“No, shut up you whore!”, Thalia booed followed by a smack on the back of her head from her girlfriend. 

“Of course. What is it, babe?”, Reyna asked after she made sure that Thalia won’t be interrupting anymore. 

“There’s something that I’d like to say”, he smiled sheepishly, his eyes jumping from one person to the next, seemingly confused as to where to settle. 

“Is it a reason as to why we’re here?”, Leo tried as he got up, “Cause it’s a bit weird to gather everyone here out of the blue.” Everyone agreed.

“Yeah, actually, it is”, Jason nodded as he took a deep breath. His gaze settled and Will followed it to Percy who was offering him an encouraging smile. He took another deep breath before starting. 

“I...Well the thing is...You see….Why is this so hard? We, I mean, I….”, he stumbled over his words, reminding Will of the times when he tried and failed to talk to Lacy. He chuckled a bit at his struggle. Seeing Jason Grace so flustered and confused was too entertaining. 

“We’re soulmates!”, Percy snapped in the end. Everyone gasped, the room turned quiet.

“What?!”, Thalia was the first one to snap out of it.

Percy quickly stepped up towards Jason and took his hand into his. They intertwined their fingers, wide smiles on their faces before they addressed the room, “We’re soulmates”; Percy said more firmly this time, “We found out last week and you guys are our closest friends and we wanted you to know.” 

“You for real?”, Grover asked, eyes wide but a smile threatening to break through. Will then noticed that neither of them, in fact, had their marks. How did he miss that? It was usually the first thing he noticed about people. Does that make him a bad person? Maybe, but he couldn’t help it.

“Yeah, for real”, Jason sighed, a lovestruck look taking over his face as he looked at Percy. 

The whole room erupted into cheers, everybody rushing over to say their congratulations. Well, everyone except for Nico who stood at the back, frowning. Will walked over to him instead and bumped his shoulder. 

“What’s wrong?”

Nico snapped out of it, shook his head, “Nothing, don’t worry. Just go there.” 

“If you’re sure”, he left him there in favor of going and saying his congratulation as well.

He remembered when Nico told him about the time when Jason confessed his crush when Nico was fourteen. That was one of the reasons as to why Nico’s own crush stopped. Will never got the full reason but he knew that Jason had a role in it. He probably felt guilty for it and decided to step back. Grumpiness aside, Nico cared a lot about his friends. 

He spotted Nico walking over to Percy, a smirk that smelled like nothing good plastered on his face as he shook the other guy’s hand. He told him something making Percy freeze and his eyes blew wide. 

“Not your type?!”, he screeched as Nico patted his shoulder, a couple of more words slipping out before Percy repeated the question. Nico doubled over with laughter at his shocked expression before making his way towards Will and Jason. It finally dawned on Will what Nico told Percy once the other guy turned around, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to gain his bearings

“You just...You can’t! Oh, my God”, he groaned at the end before slumping on the couch.

“What did you do to my boyfriend?”, Jason asked as soon as Nico stood in front of him.

“Oh, nothing”, he said but his smile gave him away.

“You’re an evil, evil person Death Boy”, Will shook his head at the smaller boy. 

“What?”

“You know exactly what.”

“Whatever, I just wanted to get it out of the way. Not like it matters now anyway, right?”

“Guess so”, he shrugged. Nico was right, it was all in good fun. He had to admit, it was funny to see Percy like that.

“So”, Nico turned towards Jason, “He’s the reason as to why I almost had a heart attack when your soulbond reacted?” 

“Guess so”, Jason rubbed the back of his neck. 

Will almost forgot about it. Nico came to his house that day, choking on his tears as he told him that Jason’s soulbond reacted for the second time in that month. Everything that happened with Bianca came back to him and made him scared that the same will happen to his cousin. Will spent the next two months in fear of Nico finding out that the bond reacted again, he knew that he wouldn’t be able to handle it. They got lucky and the bond hasn’t reacted since but it was a good scare for both of them.

“It was actually Annabeth and Rachel”, Jason said.

“Huh?”

“The bond”, he explained, “They tested it. Both failed, clearly.”

“How do you know it was them?”

“Persues told me, duh. Those were the only times that it reacted, nobody tried since and he never tried either.” 

“What are you three talking about?”, the man in question asked as he wrapped his arm around Jason’s waist and pulled him close with a kiss on his cheek. Both had wide smiles on their faces. 

“About Rachel and Annabeth testing the bond with you”, Nico stated, bluntly.

“Oh”, Percy’s eyes grew a bit wide before he realized that there was no reason to panic, “Yeah, they did. Did this one tell you about the time mine reacted? Three times in a row”, he directed the question at Jason, eyebrow raised and a teasing smirk on his face.

“It wasn’t my fault!”, Jason protested.

“Oh, yeah? Do you know how scary it was to feel as if I was zapped three fucking times in a span of three seconds?!”

“Again, not my fault”, he pouted, arms crossed.

“Jason, how could you?”, Will gasped. Three times wasn’t that much but in a row? Really?

“It wasn’t my fault! Piper was convinced that we were soulmates and got so upset when it didn’t work. I tried to stop her but that woman is strong when she wants to be.”

“Really? Piper? Did you two decide to just bring everyone who crushed on you guys over to rub it in their faces or…?”, Nico teased as he eyed the room. Will and Nico erupted into laughter at the statement. Both men spluttered before giving up and walking away from the two laughing teens.

“Did you seriously tell Percy about our crush on him?”, Will asked after they both calmed down. 

Nico shrugged, a small chuckle escaped him before answering, “Yeah, who cares? I haven’t been liking him like that in years now. It felt good to get it off my chest.”

“If you say so. But man, look at them”, he left the sentence at that. He stared a bit at the pair. It was so obvious now, the way that they moved together, casually touching and laughing as they talked to their friends. They looked happy and Will was happy for them too. He could only hope that he’ll get that one day. 

They didn’t stay long after that. It was getting late and everyone had either school or work tomorrow. They bid their goodbyes and congratulated the happy pair once more before heading out. Will thought that they had a good time. Everyone he met was really nice and they even seemed keen on meeting up sometimes again and just hanging out. 

He even exchanged contacts with Piper, the girl loving his love for clothes after a brief conversation. She offered to go out and shop with him if he was up for it. Will, naturally, said yes. Who was he to say no to that kind of offer? Plus, he liked her and thought that they got along well. Maybe he will end up with another friend soon? 

They dropped Leo off at his foster house, the boy begrudgingly snatching his backpack from the back seat and stepping out. 

“Night guys, thanks for today”, he said as he stood by Will’s window.

“No problem. See you in the morning?”, Nico offered despite knowing that they will. 

“Yep. See you!”, he called before stepping away and towards the rundown house.

“Night!”, Hazel called as they drove off.

Nico parked the car in front of his house after some more driving before ushering Hazel inside. 

“You’re not coming in?”, she asked when she realised that Nico wasn’t walking after her. 

“I’m going to walk Sunshine to his place first. I’ll be back real quick.”

“You don’t have to do that. I know where my house is”, Will protested but he knew that he couldn’t change Nico’s mind on this one. 

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Don’t take too long. Night, Will!”

“Night.” Hazel shut the door and the two of them were left alone.

“Shall we?”, he teased, his arm extended towards Nico. 

“C’mon, dork”, Nico rolled his eyes but still accepted his arm.

The weather was cold, promising a nice winter. Will looked forward to Christmas and his birthday that were in less than a month now. Those were the only things that he loved about winter. He hated the cold and the snow and how he had to wear a milion layers of clothes every day. 

There was still no snow on the ground but it was bound to fall anytime soon. It was quiet around which made sense considering how late it got. No cars passed so the two of them could enjoy the silence, only being able to see around thanks to the street lamps.

“What a day, huh?”, Will sighed as they walked. His breath could be visible in the cold. His house was only three houses down, no reason to hurry.

“Yep. Wonder if Bryce will have the balls to show up tomorrow.” 

“Who knows?” They were quiet for a bit before Will stopped Nico, “Hey, could you, uh, promise me something?”He suddenly felt nervous.

“Anything”, Nico immediately said, making him chuckle. 

“Try not to fight so much, please”, he could already see that Nico was about to protest, “It’s only for your own good! I don’t mind patching you up, really. You could get into a million fights and I'd patch you up every time, you know that. It’s just...I don’t want you to regret it. What if I wasn’t there today? Who would’ve stopped you?” 

That question has been bothering him the entire day. Nobody dared to approach Nico when he was like that. Will was the only person who could calm him down and draw him away from the fight. He still got hurt, don’t get him wrong. He could feel his back aching from that day. But he’d do it anytime if it meant helping Nico.

Will still got scared. He knew that nobody else would patch him up and calm him down if it wasn’t for him and while he did love to do that he couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if he wasn’t there. Would Nico keep going on until Bryce passed out? Would anybody try to calm him down? Would they leave him bloodied and bruised to tend for himself? 

“I...don’t know”, Nico sighed, his shoulders slumped down and his cheeks puffed out. “I don’t know, Sunshine”, he repeated. 

“Exactly. So, could you?”

“Promise you to try and control myself better?”

“Yeah”, he nodded, a small smile on his face.

“Yeah, I...okay. I’ll try.”

“Good. Thank you”, he spread out his arms, “Hug it out?”

“Sure”, Nico rolled his eyes but still stepped closer, his arms wrapping around Will’s waist as he buried his head into his shoulder.

“It’s going to be okay”, Will whispered.

“I know, it's just hard.”

“I know, but I also know that you can do this. And I’ll help, just like always.” 

“I know you will.”

They started moving again, Will’s house now in front of them as the two stood on the driveway. 

“Well, today you beat a guy up and we found out that Jason and Percy have been soulmates the entire time. Man, imagine that. Knowing your soulmate since you’re, like, a kid and having no clue”, he shook his head. 

That was truly something. He wondered if they ever felt it, felt the need to be around each other and that’s why they stayed friends all those years. Did it feel different than with their other friends? Did they just...gravitate towards each other? Or was it like a regular friendship and they just developed feelings over time? Knowing Percy he probably didn’t realize anything until they kissed or something. 

He chuckled at the thought.

“Yeah, imagine”, Nico said. The sound of his voice caught Will’s attention. He sounded…wistful? Dreamy? Did he get it wrong? 

“You..okay?”, he suddenly sounded weird. Why was he feeling weird? Probably because Nico was acting weird.

“Yeah, yeah”, Nico shook his head, dark eyes locked with blue, “All good, just thinking.”

“You sure?”

“Yep, don’t worry about it.” His voice definitely sounded weird.

“If you say so. I should head inside before mum kills me.”

“Yeah, okay. Night”, Nico kissed his cheek quickly before spinning on his heel and rushing down the pavement.

Will’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He hoped that Nico would talk to him if anything was up. Will still had some questions but it was clear that Nico wasn’t up for it. 

“Night”, he called after him. He made his way inside, grateful for the warmth once again. 

Will greeted his parents before climbing upstairs and into his room. He went through the conversation they just had. Something was definitely up, that much he concluded.

Should he text Nico and make sure he’s okay just in case? Did he say something wrong? He probably made him feel uncomfortable by talking about soulmates again. He should apologize. 

With that thought in mind, he grabbed his phone, set on texting Nico. 

‘Hey! You up? <3’, a text from Lacy read. 

Will smiled and opened it. Nico could wait a bit.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some info: I ship platonic valdangelo, sue me. They could have the most adorable bromance and I'm all in for it.  
> We are slowly entering the more serious part of this and that whole solangelo being soulmates deal so be prepared and warned.

The pen scratched softly against the paper. Nico’s eyes were trained on the board, determined to take everything in, and actually write some notes for a change. The teacher talked and Nico, probably for the first time that year, listened. 

Was it boring? Very. Was it important for him? Not in the slightest. But Will was stuck at home, sick, and Nico took it upon himself to supply him with perfect notes every day so that he doesn’t miss out on much. It was the least he could do for the boy who usually spent every waking second by his side whenever Nico himself was sick. 

The bell rang and, after one more quick check to make sure that he hadn't missed anything, he left the classroom and joined the hurried crowd. He groaned, rolled his eyes, and stuffed his earphones in. He couldn’t take all of the squeals and yells and shouts that came from the other teens. Too annoying. 

He pushed his way through, shouldering his way past a making out couple as he got to his locker. He’s going to be seeing them in detention for sure, he thought. He was digging through his bag, trying to sort through all of the junk that was in there, when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

He huffed. Who was even bold enough to bother him? People usually avoided him left and right. “Just a second”, he mumbled as he finally got what he was looking for and stuffed it into an overflowing locker. It wasn’t as bad as Will’s, at least he could open it and close it without everything falling out.

He spun on his heel and came face to face with hazel eyes. 

“Lacy”, her name fell off his lips with a strain. Nico hoped that she didn’t notice. 

“Yeah, hi”, she fiddled with the end of her jacket, her eyes avoiding Nico’s. She was obviously nervous. Nico kind of enjoyed it. There was just something in watching people squirm in his presence. 

It was weird for Lacy to talk to him. She usually avoided him as much as possible, it didn’t matter that he and Will were attached by hip. Will tried to get them to get along but neither of them was too keen on it. Nico knew that it bothered Will a bit but he had to draw a line somewhere. Taking notes for him was one thing but expecting him to get along with his best friend’s girlfriend was in a whole other league. 

He slung his backpack over his shoulder, stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Did you, uh, need something or...?” Nico just wanted to head home, Leo was probably already waiting for him.

Lacy jumped a bit. Did she forget that she was the one who came to him? “Yes, I-I actually need to ask you something”, she stuttered.

He nodded, “Go on.”

“Well, you see”, she fidgeted with her sleeve, tucked her hair behind her ear. She glanced up but she stopped to a halt when her eyes landed on his hoodie. “Is that Will’s?”, she pointed at the blue hoodie that obviously didn’t belong to Nico. It was too big on him, not to mention that the bright blue was definitely not in his color palette.

Nico uneasily shifted, arms self consciously tugging his jacket to cover the incriminating hoodie. “Does it matter? “, he defended. Not like there was anything to feel guilty about, it wasn’t the first time that one of them was wearing the other’s clothes.

She covered a bit, expression turning apologetic, “No, I suppose not.”

His phone buzzed. A text from Leo asking where he was. “Look, Lacy, as fun as this is, I really don’t have the whole day so could you just…”

“Right! Sorry”, she took a deep breath, “Uh, don’t know if you’re aware of this but it’s mine and Will’s six month anniversary next week”, he was aware of that. Will mentioned it a couple of times, stressing over it and asking for advice. Not like Nico knew what to do in a situation like that one. He decided not to mention any of that to Lacy and opted to just nod along.

“Well, uh, I’ve been wanting to do something...special for him. He’s always so sweet so I wanted to do something in return but, erm, I’m kind of running short on ideas and you know him best…”

“So you want some advice on what to do for your anniversary?”, he interrupted, one brow raised, expression bored. She nodded.

“Uh, I don’t know. A picnic, maybe?” Will always loved spending time in nature with him, or so it seemed. 

Lacy smiled, “I like that. It would be perfect for this time of the year.”

“Yeah, sure. Anything else or…?”

“Uh, yes. If I were to, say, buy him a gift, what should I look out for?”

“Sunflowers”, he answered without hesitation, “He loves them. And anything brightly colored. Don’t stress over it too much, he’ll like it no matter what it is”, he reassured as he thought back on the time he made a shitty friendship bracelet for his best friend back when they were nine. It was yellow and purple and absolutely horrible but Will accepted it with a smile and still has it to this day. He used to wear it but he grew and the size wasn’t fit anymore so he opted to wear it as a keychain. Nico felt embarrassed every time he saw it. 

“Sunflowers, got it”, she then clasped his shoulder giving it a firm squeeze, “Thank you so much, you’re a life savior.”

He shrugged her off, “Yeah, no problem. Can I go now?”

Lacy quickly removed her arm, “Yes, of course. Thanks again. And say hi to Will for me, please. He hasn’t been responding to any of my texts and you’re probably going to visit him now, right?.” 

Nico frowned. Will wasn’t responding? But they texted just an hour ago and he was complaining that he was bored. “Yeah, I’ll do that.”

“Great. Bye Nico!”, Lacy waved him off and soon disappeared in the busy crowd.

Nico went over the interaction on his way out, wondering if he seemed too cold or something. He thought not but then again why bother? Either way he didn’t care.

“Took you long enough”, Leo groaned from his spot by Nico's bike. The bike was his father’s gift for his last birthday. A beautiful machine, really. Nico immediately fell in love with it. He loved the feeling of driving down the busy streets with wind crashing against him. It made him feel alive. 

“Shut up, I got sidetracked.” Nico stored his backpack in the small compartment before straddling the bike, helmet in hand.

“By what?” Leo settled behind him, accepting the offered helmet.

“Lacy”, he simply explained and Leo didn’t ask for more. Nico didn’t know when he became such good friends with the mischievous Latino but he was glad he did. When you go past the cheesy jokes and teasing, there was actually a pretty good guy. Not like Nico would ever admit that.

Nico secured the helmet on his head and started the bike. He checked whether or not Leo was holding onto it properly and then they were off. Leo had moved into another foster home recently, this one only a block away from Nico’s own which was perfect. 

“I’m dropping you off at your place, right?”, he checked once again while they were waiting for the green light.

Leo’s tongue clicked from behind him, “Yep, I gotta do some stuff over there. I’ll drop by some other time and we can work on the bike if you wanna.”

Nico nodded. Leo was probably the only person that he trusted with his bike so far. Despite being awfully chaotic as a person, Leo knew his way with machines. “Sure, sounds good.”

The rest of the ride was spent in silence as Nico tried to drive as fast as possible and drop Leo off. Once the Latino was back to his own place, Nico just drove away, deciding to ignore Leo’s knowing smirk that was directed at him.

The Solace household looked like it was glowing as Nico approached it. He parked his bike in the driveway, made sure that Mrs. Solace would be able to get out with her car and then rushed inside without knocking. 

“Nico”, Mrs. Solace yelped when he almost crashed into her. He jumped back, a sheepish smile on his face as he rubbed the back of his neck. 

“Sorry, Mrs. S.”

“How many times have I told you, dear? It’s Naomi”, she chuckled.

“Erm, right. Naomi.” For some reason it was hard for him to call her that despite being allowed to since he was at least eleven.

“See? Not that hard”, she patted his cheek, tried to tease a smile out of him. Nico obligated.

“Well”, Mrs. Solace put her hands on her hips, her own knowing smile on her youthful face. She looked so similar to Will, especially when she smiled like that. “I assume that you aren’t here to have a chat with me and see how I’m doing.”

Nico shuffled, heat creeping up his cheeks as he looked at his feet. “Yeah, sorry.”

Mrs. Solace just laughed at his awkward behavior, “Silly boy. He’s upstairs, probably asleep. I was just going to bring him some soup when I heard your bike.” She gestured behind her where an abandoned tray sat at, filled with a bowl of soup and a cup of tea. “Let me just add another bowl for you, you’re probably hungry, and then you can go upstairs.”

She didn’t leave any room for discussion as she went back into the kitchen and emerged moments later, tray in hand and another bowl on it. Nico quickly thanked her before carefully heading upstairs, his movements as slow as he could take them in order not to spill hot content on the floor or, worse, on himself.

It was a bit of a struggle to open the door with both of his hands occupied but he managed. Nico closed the door with his foot before huffing and looking up again. Will was asleep, head snuggled under a fuzzy blanket. His cheeks were flushed an adorable pink from his fever, hair matted against his forehead. Nico thought that he still looked as pretty as ever.

He quietly lowered the tray on the nightstand before collecting used tissues and disposing them into the nearby trash can. He washed up in the bathroom and chugged off his jacket and boots before coming back to Will again and taking a seat on the edge of the bed. 

Nico took a moment to admire his best friend. It was creepy, he knew it, but what Will didn’t know couldn’t hurt him so he indulged himself before running a gentle hand through the blond locks. Will remained asleep but he did snuggle a bit into Nico’s palm which made his poor heart skip a beat before he continued his movements. 

Two blue eyes slowly peeked at him after some time. Will blinked at Nico, his eyes dazed, brows furrowed. He slowly came to a realization as to who was the person who was petting him and the confused look got replaced by a small smile as he greeted him. “Hi”, he whispered, his voice scratchy from sleep.

“Hi”, Nico whispered back, his hand never stopping. If it was up to Nico, he’d never stop.

Will had other plans, though, seeing as just a couple of seconds later he started pushing himself up. Nico helped him get comfortable in a sitting position before offering him the tea Mrs. Solace made. The blond shot him a grateful smile as he sipped on the hot beverage, a low hum coming from the back of his throat as he did so.

“When did you get here?”, was the first thing he asked when he lowered the cup.

“A bit ago, don’t worry about it. How are you doing?”, Nico fussed, already putting the cup back on the tray and lifting the soup bowl.

Will chuckled, “I’m fine, Death Boy. It’s just a bit of a cold, I’m not dying.” 

Nico frowned at him, his hand still raised, a spoon filled with soup in it, and waiting for Will to accept it. “You do the same for me when I’m sick, you have no right to criticize me.” 

Blue eyes glared at him before relaxing again, a playful smile on that beautiful face once again. “You got me there.”

“Of course I did. Now, open up”, he pressed, shaking the spoon just a bit.

“That’s what he sai….”, Will got interrupted by a spoon being forcefully shoved into his mouth. He pouted at Nico but still ate the soup as he spoon-fed him until the bowl was empty. 

“Thanks”, Will leaned his head against Nico’s shoulder as the dark-haired boy sat beside him, eating his own meal. Nico hummed back, too distracted by the head on his shoulder and his hand filled with a potentially spilling liquid.

“Lacy said hi, by the way”, he informed, careful to keep his face expressionless at the mention of his best friend's girlfriend, “Said you haven’t been responding to her.” Nico watched carefully as Will dutifully avoided his gaze, playing with his bracelet instead.

“Weird, considering you’ve been texting me nonstop”, he continued. Will still ignored him. A couple of seconds of silence passed before Nico sighed, “Fine, I’ll bite. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong”, Will muttered. So he speaks.

“Yeah?”, a questioning eyebrow raised, “Then how come you’ve been ignoring her?”

“I just...I don’t know”, Will sighed, at last, blue eyes finally meeting dark ones,” Our anniversary is coming up and I’ve been stressing out over it and talking to her just kept on reminding me and then I’d be even more stressed out and I just...I needed a break and some time to think without a constant buzz in my head.” 

“That’s okay”, Nico smiled, his hand coming up and squeezing Will’s shoulder, “But Sunshine, you don’t need to stress yourself out so much. It’s only an anniversary.”

“Six months is big”, he defended. “I mean, it’s both of our first relationships and it’s amazing that we’ve come so far and six months is big for any relationship that’s between the people who are not...”, he cut himself at that, licked his lips. Blue eyes stared expectantly at Nico. He stared back.

And oh.

Oh.

That’s what this was all about. He wanted to slap himself, maybe laugh. Of course it was about this. It was Will, after all. His gaze softened as he looked opposite of them and at a painting, he did for Will a while ago. Sunflowers in a meadow, bright and sunny, and nothing in comparison with the boy beside him. 

“Do you think that you are?”, he asked eventually.

Will stared ahead too but his gaze was unfocused, lost in a daydream as a small sigh left those marked lips. “I don’t know. Maybe? I like her. A lot. Lacy is....she’s amazing. Really”, he stopped a bit, eyebrows furrowed for a second before he seemingly came to some conclusion, “Guess I wouldn't be so opposed to...you know, testing it”, he finished lamely. 

“What? Kissing her?”, asked Nico bluntly. He knew that Will meant that but he still needed to hear him say it.

His best friend nodded, eyes downcast as he avoided Nico’s curious gaze. His cheeks darkened a bit, “Yeah, I wouldn’t be opposed to kissing her.”

“Do you want to?” Nico wanted to kick himself for prying into it. He should’ve left it be and forget about the conversation entirely but something kept him from withdrawing and urged him to find out more. 

The blond blushed even more, “M-maybe?”, he squeaked, “Kind of.”

He nodded and turned back towards the painting, trying to keep his face neutral and not reveal how much his heart actually shattered at the words. Cause it did, his heart ached because of them. He knew that it was a stupid thing, crushing on your best friend who would never and could never look at you in that way.

Despite the pain, Nico wanted to help. Will deserved as much, he reassured himself. They sat in silence for some time, their legs outstretched in front of them as Will knocked their feet together from time to time. 

“I just want to know”, Will whispered after some time. The tone of his voice caught Nico’s attention. He sounded so small and scared and all he wanted to do was wrap him up in a hug and comfort him and tell him that it’s okay to be curious so that’s what he did.

“Nothing wrong with that, Sunshine”, he whispered, afraid of ruining the fragile atmosphere that settled around them, “If you want to then, ask her. I doubt that she’d be rude about it.”

“It wouldn’t change anything, you know?”, Will’s head was buried into Nico’s chest so his words came out muffled, “I’d still feel the same, I just want to know. I can’t help but feel like....”

The smaller boy cut him off, afraid that he wouldn’t be able to handle hearing the rest of the sentence, “Then go for it. See where it takes you. I’m with you no matter what you choose.”

The blond leaned back, a small smile playing on his lips as he stared at his best friend, hope finally shining in his eyes, “You really think I should?”

And Nico cursed himself for his next words. He smiled back, prayed that it didn’t look as forced as he knew it was. “I do. If you think that it’s worth it then do it.”

Will beamed back, flung himself at Nico, and knocked them both down as he squealed in delight, “Thank you, Death Boy! I was so scared that you’d tell me that I’m mad or something.”

Nico hugged him back just as tight, his senses getting overflown by lemons and honey. “I’d never. I’m here for you, Sunshine. No matter what.”

“You’re the best friend I could’ve asked for.” 

Nico knew that his heart was now a broken mess but he ignored it. He’ll go home later, carefully pick the pieces up and put them back together just like he’d been doing for months now. All that mattered was that he helped Will and made sure that he was happy. 

He hugged his best friend one more time before pushing him off. “Yeah, yeah. Now up you get and back under the covers, you’re still sick and I don’t want you to get me sick too.”

“I think that it’s too late for that”, Will chuckled but still did as he was told. “Who’s gonna take care of you if you get sick?”

Nico smiled at him, brushed some locks away from his face before taking a step back. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be just fine.”

~~~~

“Move your ass and get over here!”

“You move yours! You’re obviously at the wrong spot!”

“Na-ah, you are. And if you don’t get over here, you’re going to get killed in the next ten seconds.”

“Shut your mouth, Doom Gloom. You’re obviously at the…”, Leo’s retort was cut off as he got killed, just like Nico predicted. The dark-haired boy laughed before scurrying in order not to get killed too.

“Not fair”, Leo grumbled as he crossed his arms, controller still in hand.

“Warned you”, Nico couldn’t help the smug note from lacing his voice.

“Yeah, yeah. Eyes on the game, we can still win this.”

“Correction, I can still win this. Last time I checked, you did nothing.” 

“Agree to disagree”, Leo waved as he grabbed some more pizza from the floor.

They sat on Nico’s room floor. He and Leo were playing some video games while Hazel went out to look for some movies to watch and bring them some ice cream. It was fun, Nico concluded. He missed Will but his best friend was on his six-month anniversary date and the duo was nice enough to offer a sleepover to cheer him up. 

Out of all people, Leo and Hazel were the only ones that knew of his crush. Nico had a suspicion that the adults may be onto something but he was determined to ignore it, thank you very much. The not so sly looks Persephone kept on giving him were insufferable enough. 

The game ended with Nico crowned as a winner. ‘Winner: TheGhostKing13’, the screen read and Nico couldn’t help but feel proud of it. At least he was good at something. 

“Another one?”, he offered.

“Nah, man. Dying eight times in a row is enough for one night.”

“Suit yourself.” Nico shrugged and turned the whole system off. “Hazel should be back soon.”

True to his words, his sister came stumbling in, hands filled to the brim with movies and ice cream. She waved at them with three spoons as she closed the door, “Got ‘em!”

Nico ignored the movies and immediately went for some ice cream. He didn’t really feel like eating but ice cream sounded real fucking nice at the moment and it was chocolate and mint and he could never say no to that.

Hazel and Leo bickered a bit over what movie to watch and in the end they settled for The Mean Girls, much to Nico’s dismay. “Why is it always this one?”, he groaned. 

“Because it’s classic”; Hazel deadpanned before snatching the ice cream bucket from him.

The dark-haired boy kept quiet during the movie. He was doing his best to pay attention but he had already seen it a million times and there’s only so much he could take before his attention span ran out. Leo and Hazel were completely invested, at their part, going as far for Leo to actually keep still, eyes glued to the screen as he filled his mouth with a handful of popcorn.

He kept on checking his phone, from time to time. There weren’t any messages from Will so he guessed that his date was going well. Good. That’s good, he told himself. Will was worried the entire time, so much so that Nico had to go over and push him out of the house himself after telling him for the eleventh time that he looked good and no, the clips weren’t too much and yes, she’s going to love his makeup. The date started three hours ago and Will’s last message was him informing Nico that Lacy had arrived.

“Stop that”, Leo frowned as Nico checked his phone, yet again. Nico had the decency to feel embarrassed for being caught before turning it off. It was snatched away by Hazel who put it on the opposite side of the table and blocked him from reaching it. 

“C’mon, Haze. Don’t be like that”, he whined and put on his best puppy eyes in hopes of his sister caving in. Golden eyes narrowed as she glared at him.

“Stop it”, she slapped his hand when he tried to reach around her, “You’re not doing anyone any good.”

He huffed, crossed his arms, glared back. “You don’t know that. How do you even know what I was doing?”

Hazel rolled her eyes, “Oh please, as if you weren’t checking for any messages from Will.”

“Well, maybe I was…”, he didn’t get to finish the sentence. A sharp pain shot through his body and made him twitch and drop the bucket from his lap as he leaped from the couch. It felt as if someone zapped him. Just as fast as it came it was gone. It left him panting, his whole body tingling as he stared wide-eyed at the duo who stared back. 

Nico’s mind filled with panic. He knew what that was, all of them knew. And it couldn’t be possible. Why now? Why him? Why, why, why?

“Doom Gloom?”, Leo started to raise, his arm outstretched as he looked at him, eyes worried and panicky.

Nico licked his lips, met his gaze as he tried to calm himself down. “I-I think…”, he stuttered, afraid of admitting it, “I t-think that my bond r-reacted.”

And just like that, fear came back into his life just like all those years ago.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the angst saga y'all. We offer tears and pain and what's that? Yep, more pain. I think that you can already tell where this one is heading but in case you can't, the next part should clear stuff up a bit

Will was a morning person. He loved waking up and getting a head start in his day. Yes, he was slow and yes, he was always late but he still liked to wake up before everyone else and just take his time in the morning and enjoy it. Maybe do some yoga if he was feeling like it. His dad usually joined him so he got a chance to talk to him in private and just bond. All in all, the mornings were always fun for him and he never had a problem with getting up. 

Except for that day.

Will groaned. The mattress shifted under him as he flipped onto his stomach and glared at the open blinds of his window. Why did he leave them open again? Probably thinking about how it would be good for him or some shit. He directed another angry glare at the insulting sun before reaching over for his phone.

Almost eleven, he really slept in. Good thing it’s the weekend, he thought. With a sigh, he unlocked his phone and tapped into the texts. A text from Lou, asking him to go out to shop, and a text from Cecil, a meme per usual. He sent a bunch of laughing emojis back despite not even snorting out a laugh and declined Lou’s invite. He really wasn’t feeling like going out with her.

Footsteps passed by his door once. Twice. He heard the creaking of the stairs as someone went down then voices as two people came up. They stopped in front of his room. They spoke in hushed tones but Will ignored them, opting to scroll through the apps on his phone. Some shuffling, one voice raised above the other. A groan flowed through the door before one person left. Will squeezed his eyes shut and dropped his phone on his chest. A loud knock was heard before the door creaked open.

Austin peeked in, “Hey, Willy. Mind if I come in?” It was clear that Austin was wary of him. Despite his reluctance, Will mumbled a small yes. His brother closed the door behind himself before standing awkwardly next to his bed. 

“You can sit down, ya know?”, Will shrugged as he peeked at him, not bothering to get up.

Austin brought Will’s desk chair and settled in front of him before letting out a sigh. “What’s up, bro?”

“What do you mean?” Play dumb, he told himself. 

His brother didn’t buy it, unfortunately. “Really? You’re going to make me beg you or something?”, he deadpanned.

Will stubbornly stared at him, an unspoken stare off going between them. Austin caved in first, a loud groan vibrated from the back of his throat. Will basked in the small victory for a short moment before his brother attacked again.

“You didn’t get up”, he started listing off his fingers, “You’re just lying in your bed. Last night you didn’t want to talk to any of us and went straight to your room. You're moody. It’s Saturday and you’re not at Nico’s. Need I go on?” One thick eyebrow raised as Austin stared at him, an expectant look in his eyes. Will knew that he was probably getting everyone worried but he really didn’t feel like talking and he told him so. 

“But why? Maybe I could help!”

Will sighed and lifted himself up a bit, deciding that it’s better to get up and start his day than lay and be an open target. They’d probably send mum or, worse, dad next. “There’s nothing to help with. Everything is fine, okay Aus?”

“Don’t lie to me!”

“I’m not!”, his voice started to raise. Will stopped himself, took a deep breath. It wasn’t Austin’s fault, he shouldn’t have lashed out on him like that. He squeezed his brother’s shoulder, offered a small smile that he knew was a ghost of his usual one. “Everything is cool, Aus. Thanks for worrying but I’ll be fine.”

He quickly went around him and dashed for the door, hoping to just get away and have a moment for himself. A hand on his wrist stopped him.

“I’m here if you need me, okay? No matter what it is”, Austin promised, a worried crease between his eyebrows.

Will’s shoulders sagged as he stepped closer and gave him a quick hug. “Right back at you, bro”, he promised as he leaned back. Before Austin could say another word, he headed for the bathroom.

Will took his time in the shower, the cold water feeling good against his skin and sobering him up a bit more. He’ll clearly need to step up his acting game if he wanted to avoid any prodding from his parents. After a quick skincare routine and making sure he brushed his teeth properly, Will went down for some...breakfast? Lunch? For some food.

He could see his mum in the garden as she worked on her flowers. His dad was probably at work. He wished he was in a boarding school like Kayla. 

“Mum made blueberry muffins if you’d like some. They’re in the pantry”, Austin supplied as he walked in behind him.

“Thanks.” Will brought out a plate filled with the tasty treats as Austin lingered in the doorway. “Want some?”, he offered. 

His brother shook his head, “Nah, I’ve had plenty.”

“Suit yourself”, Will hummed as he took another bite. His phone sounded off, a new text notification popping up before the screen went dark again. Something heavy dropped into his stomach at the sight of it but Will pushed it back and picked his phone up with his clean hand. 

It was from Nico. He really hoped that his best friend wasn’t mad at him for not texting him since yesterday. Will just didn’t want to ruin his night with Leo and Hazel with his pathetic whining, that’s all. He really hoped that Nico had some fun, Lord knew that that boy needed it. ‘Gotta take Cerberus for a walk. Wanna come with?’

‘Sure, give me 10’, he quickly typed back.

‘See you in 20 then ;)’

Will rolled his eyes, huffed an annoyed breath as he finished his muffin then rose up. 

“Where are you going?”, Austin asked as he passed through the living room. 

“On a walk with Nico. Tell mum that I’ll come back sometimes later.”

“Will do.”

He got changed. Some simple sweatpants and one of Nico’s hoodies that ended up at his place. Will didn’t even notice how much he craved some sort of comfort until its smell filled his nose. Nico’s presence always did wonders for Will’s nerves and his clothes did a good job, too, when the boy himself wasn’t present.

True to Nico’s words, he was outside in 20 minutes, two muffins, and his phone in hand as he jogged up to his best friend. Cerberus happily barked at him as he approached, doing small excited jumps and spinning in circles. 

“Hey, buddy!”, he cooed at the dog, “I missed you too. I did. Yes, I did. Who’s a good boy?”, he asked as he scratched him behind his ears, Cerberus’ eager nudges urging him to continue, “You are. Yes, you are. Such a good boy!”

Above him, Nico snorted. A small smile playing on the marked lips as he stared down at them. “C’mon you, dork. You’ll have plenty of time to spoil him later.”

“But I want to spoil him now”, Will pouted but still raised to hug his best friend. “Sorry for being late but I brought you these bad boys”, he presented the muffins to Nico who only frowned down on them.

“I’m not really hungry”, he mumbled.

“C’mon. For me”, he pleaded as he offered him one. Nico eyed it suspiciously as if it was going to poison him or something, before reluctantly accepting it.

They walked in silence with Cerberus’ pants and occasional barks disrupting the unusually awkward atmosphere. Will wondered if he was really that off that he managed to make his best friend feel awkward. Despite a couple of stops when Cerberus noticed a squirrel he just had to bark at, their walk went uninterrupted and soon they reached the small park.

The day was actually pretty nice. It wasn’t too hot and there was a nice small breeze around them which brought the smell of flowers and grasses with it. Will would usually enjoy it and point out how much he loved spring but he couldn’t find it in himself.

Nico unleashed the dog who happily ran off, determined to get back to that taunting squirrel. Will dropped down onto a sunny bench with Nico close to follow. Much to his joy, the dark-haired boy took a small bite out of the muffin, reminding Will to eat his own too. He chewed slowly, the whole mood making him feel guilty and lost. He didn’t know what to do to make it change but he knew that he had to or else he was going to explode.

“Uh”, he started oh, so eloquently, “did you have fun last night? With Leo and Hazel.” Will watched at the dark-haired boy’s shoulders visibly tensed and his chewing stopped. 

Wide eyes looked at the curious blue ones as Nico visibly swallowed. “Y-yeah, guess I did. It was….eventful”, he finished. Will raised a questioning brow, hoping that it would be enough for the other boy to continue.

Nico’s shoulders sagged as he went back to the muffin and started peeling off the paper wrapping, “I’m sorry, by the way”, he mumbled, eyes trained on the treat and avoiding Will’s.

Will scrunched his eyebrows, “What for?”

Nico sighed, ran a hand through his loose hair which gave Will a good view of his face, “Last night. Sorry for not texting you. I should’ve told you as soon as it happened. I just...”, he huffed a frustrated breath and finally twisted his body and faced Will who followed suit. Their knees knocked against each other as Nico lowered the muffin between them, “I didn’t want to interrupt your date with this. You were so excited about it and I didn’t want to make it seem like I don’t care, because I do, and I didn’t want to distract you. I hope that you two had fun, by the way. You never texted either so I just assumed that you came home late and went straight to bed, which is perfectly fine, and I didn’t want to wake you up, especially not after the date and…”

Will couldn’t take it anymore. He needed to cut off Nico’s ramble and stomp down all of the false assumptions. “We broke up”, he blurted. 

Nico stopped to a halt. His mouth hung agape as his sentence abruptly ended. He stared at Will for a second. Two. “I-I’m sorry, what?”

“Lacy and I, we broke up. Yesterday”, he explained, trying to maintain the look of nonchalance despite his heart hurting and tears starting to gather at the corner of his eyes. 

“What? Why? What happened?”

Will looked away, the concern in Nico’s eyes being too much for him to bear at the moment. He bit his lip, took a deep breath through his gritted teeth as he thought about the night before. “I-I did it, ya know? Kissed her, I mean”, he rushed to explain.

Nico’s eye briefly flickered to Will’s lips which were unfortunately still marked before looking at him again. “Oh”, he simply breathed out.

“Yeah. It wasn’t a match, clearly”, his voice was bitter but he couldn't bring himself to care. The way Lacy looked at him after, the look of sadness and pity that crossed her face as too much for him to remember. 

It was such a lovely night. They had an amazing picnic while just laughing and talking, He finally fully recovered from being sick so Will was in a great mood and ready to blast Lacy’s mind. She even got him some sunflower clips for his hair which he adored and couldn’t wait to use them but they were now decorating the bottom of his trash can. They strolled through the park, his jacket on her shoulders as they just enjoyed each other’s presence when Will decided to make a move. 

Lacy made no objections, which Will took as a sign to continue, and their lips met in a disappointing kiss. No sparkles, no fireworks. No special feeling, no anything. Just a brief contact of lips on lips before Lacy suddenly pulled away. He could see it in her place even before she opened her mouth. 

“She, um”, he fumbled to explain, “She said that she was sorry but that she can’t be with me now that she knew that it wasn’t it. Said that she didn’t see the point of us being together when we are bound to be with someone else anyway.”

Nico's expression melted into a compassionate one as he reached a hesitant hand over, “Oh, Sunshine, I’m so sorry.” 

“Yeah, I am too”, he whispered as a tear slipped down his cheek. Nico was quick to wipe it away and wrap him up in a warm hug. “They didn’t change, you know? My feelings for her. I still like her and I still want to be with her despite it but she…”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to explain it anymore”, Nico gently shushed him as Will cried into his shoulder. “Would you like to go back to my house? We can watch some movies and drink some hot chocolate.”

“And cuddle?”

“If you want to then sure. We can cuddle, too”, Nico laughed and Will has never been more grateful for having him as his best friend. 

The duo quickly called Cerberus over and headed back to the di Angelo’s. Nico held his hand the entire time, rubbing small, comforting circles into his knuckles as Will started at the sidewalk, feeling like all happiness had been sucked out of him. 

On their way in, they passed by Persephone. Will did his best to stride past her with a quick greeting and his face turned away. 

“Where’s the hurry, Will?”, she laughed when he immediately went for the stairs instead of stopping and chatting with her as usual, “Did your girlfriend like the flowers?”

Right, Persephone arranged the bouquet that Will brought for Lacy. A lovely thing filled with soft daisies and alluring pink roses. “She loved it”, he gritted out before dashing up and ignoring the worried stare he could feel on the back of his head.

Nico took some time to catch up with him. Will just face planted on his bed, let the familiar smell of Nico’s sheets calm him down, and soothe his senses as he waited for the other boy to join him. Soon, the dark-haired boy came in too, two cups in hand and a bag of gummy bears in the other. 

“Thanks”, Will mumbled as he scrambled up and leaned against the headboard. 

“You’re welcome”, Nico placed the warm cup into his waiting hands before bringing his laptop over and settling it on their laps. “Anything you want to watch?”

Will shrugged, took a sip of his drink before opening the bag of candy. “I’m fine with whatever.”

Nico gave a wordless nod before putting one of the shows that they both liked to watch on. Together, they munched on the candy, Will eating more than Nico, and enjoyed their drinks as they watched the episode after episode. 

Will wasn’t watching the show though. His thoughts went back to the night before. The disappointment in the blond girl’s eyes as she looked at his lips as if to make sure the mark didn’t disappear. The pain he felt the second she uttered those words and the bigger one once he realized that it really wasn’t a match.

He did it. He ruined the whole thing. Instead of patiently waiting like everyone else, Will just had to kiss the first person he ever got to date and ruin his chance for the perfect story. He could lie to the others and to himself all he wanted but the truth was, Will always wanted that perfect soulmate story. The story in which the first person you ever got to kiss was your soulmate and how you just knew that it was a match deep in your heart.

He spent years fantasizing about it. Daydreams upon daydreams spent on thinking about that very moment when he was going to have his first kiss and the sparks would fly and his heart would beat fast and he would know that that was it. That was his perfect person. The person destined for him. The one who will spend the rest of his life with. Caring, loving, and treasuring them.

It all went to waste now.

“Hey, what’s wrong Sunshine?”, Nico’s concerned voice snapped him back. Gentle hands cupped his cheeks as Nico rubbed away the tears that were slipping down his freckled cheeks. 

“I-I’m sorry”, he stuttered out, pink flush covering his cheeks and the bridge of his nose from the embarrassment, “I didn’t mean to..”, he sniffled but he was cut short when Nico tugged him closer and wrapped him up in a hug. 

“It’s okay”, his best friend whispered, “Just let it out.”

Those words were all Will needed to finally let go and sag against the smaller boy’s body. He buried his face deep into the crook of Nico’s neck, breathed in the familiar and soothing smell of pomegranates and mint, and just cried. 

His heart ached. Will couldn’t determine if it was really because of Lacy or because of the missed opportunity but he decided that it didn’t matter because he’d feel pain either way.

It just didn’t seem fair. Why did this have to happen to him out of all people? Why did he get to mess up so badly? 

“It’s going to be okay, Sunshine”, Nico reassured as he rubbed Will's back. He laid them down, let Will scoot closer and hold tighter as he continued to cry his heartbreak out. “I’ve got you”, Nico solemnly said and Will knew that he did.

He didn’t know how long they laid there. At some point, Will had stopped crying and they just held each other. At least I can count on Nico for having my back, Will mused. The black-haired boy didn’t make any objections when Will repositioned them so that Nico was nestled on his chest. I felt nice to have his comforting weight over him, in some strange way. 

“If you want to talk about it, I’d be happy to lend you an ear”, Nico offered after some time. 

Did he want to talk about it? Will wracked his brain, what could he possibly say? Everything he had to say sounded so selfish. He knew how Nico felt about soulmates, he didn’t feel like Nico would get it. 

“It’s okay. I don’t want to bother you with it more than I already have”, he mumbled. 

Nico shifted in his spot, smacked his arm. “You’re never bothering me. Now, out with it.”

“It’s fine, Death Boy.”

“It’s not fine! You’re clearly upset and I won’t just lay around and do nothing”, Nico took a deep breath, probably to calm himself down before continuing in a softer voice, “C’mon, Sunshine. You were always there for me, let me be there for you too. You said that talking is the best way to feel better. Listen to yourself for a change.” 

“No”, Will shook his head, “I really don’t want to. It’s all ridiculous and you probably won’t get it anyway.”

Some shuffling. Nico lifted himself up, his hands firmly planted on Will’s chest as he gazed down on him. Dark eyes were narrowed, framed by loose hair. “Oh, yeah?”, he sounded offended. Will flinched. “So you think that I wouldn’t get that you think that she never really liked you in the first place since she broke everything off so quickly? Or that you’re disappointed because you blew up your shot at having a ‘perfect story’ as your parents did? Or that you think that everything is now pointless since there will be no ‘perfect story’? Or how about the fact that you think that I wouldn’t get any of this just because I don’t have the same view on soulmates like you do?”

Nico stared at him, his look never wavering. Will spluttered, his cheeks burning as he fumbled for some sort of excuse or explanation. “I never said any of that!”, he screeched, his voice cracked at the end. He cursed himself at the betrayal.

Nico flopped down again, effectively knocking the air out of Will’s chest in the process. His best friend sighed as he wrapped his arms around Will’s waist, “You didn’t have to. You’re an open book for me, Sunshine”, he chuckled.

The blond sighed too, wrapped his arms around his best friend and brought him impossibly closer. “I’m sorry, Death Boy. I just…”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to talk about it if you’re not ready but just you know, I do get it. Really. I don’t have to think the way you do to get you. And I’m here for whatever you might need, okay? Just like always.”

Tears pricked in Will’s eyes again. Nico's kindness and understanding too much for the blond to bear. He gave a muted nod, too afraid of breaking down again if he spoke a word more. 

They spent the rest of the day up there, in Nico’s room. Will eventually opened up a bit and the dark-haired boy eagerly listened to him and held him through everything. His support was more than Will could have wished for and by the end of the day his heart ached the same but was blanketed in the comfort and love his best friend showed him.

“Earlier today”, he started at some point, his mind going back to how this whole situation started, “You wanted to tell me something, didn’t you? What was it?” They were sitting next to each other again, a movie played in the background.

Nico tucked his hair behind his ear, puffed out his cheeks. He fidgeted with the strings of his hoodie, before locking eyes with Will. A strained smile stretched on his lips, “It was nothing, really.” 

“Are you sure? Just because I got dumped, doesn’t mean I’m not going to listen to you”, he knocked their shoulders together, hoping to show that he was feeling better now. 

The dark-haired boy regarded him for a moment, bit his lip. He shook his head, “It’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”

“Promise to tell me if something is bothering you”, the blond offered his pinky which got hooked by Nico’s. 

“Promise”, he smiled and Will believed him. The two of them never kept anything away from each other after all.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, final time skip y'all. Ready for the real angst?

“Nico”, his sister yelled from the living room, “We are leaving in an hour. You better be ready.”

The dark-haired man huffed, flicked his wet hair over his shoulder as he continued to color the oversized chest of a female he was drawing. What was up with people and big boobs? Nico wouldn’t know but they paid him nicely and he'd be damned if he didn’t deliver what he was asked for. 

Footsteps padded towards his door that soon flung open to reveal the annoyed girl. Hazel stomped over his way, tugged the earphones out of his ears. She practically screamed, “Stop ignoring me.”

“Sheesh, Haze”, he groaned as he swatted her away, “I heard you loud and clear, no reason to shout into my ears.”

“Well you didn’t answer me”, she shrugged and promptly left the room.

Nico rolled his eyes but dropped his pen and turned the tablet off. He’ll finish that later that night when they get back. He dragged himself towards his messy closet, rummaged through the pile of hopefully clean clothes, and pulled out a pair of ripped up jeans that seemed good enough for him.

“She chased me away”, Leo explained as he face planted into Nico’s unmade bed. Nico snorted but otherwise said nothing as he ran a hangover his bandage to make sure it’s secure enough.

“Does it hurt?”, Leo asked, his eyes trained on the bandaged chest, eyebrows furrowed.

It did. “It’s fine. Don’t worry”, he weakly smiled before grabbing a black tank top and tugging it over his head. 

After making sure that the bandage is nicely covered by the loose material, he nodded at his reflection and put his leather jacket over it. It was probably going to be needed when they head back home. Nico quickly ran his fingers through his long hair, pulled it up into a high ponytail. 

“It looks fine”, Leo reassured as he examined his nails, seemingly bored.

“If I’m forced to go, I can at least make sure that I look somewhat decent.”

“Yeah, but not like you’re trying to get laid. Why care what everyone else thinks?”

Nico puffed out his cheeks, bit his tongue. Both him and Leo knew that he wasn’t trying to impress anyone else besides one person. Said person was in a happy relationship, for almost three years at that point, actually, but it didn’t stop him from trying. And if he got a compliment or two, it was his own little guilty pleasure. 

He dropped his hands and examined the work he did. There was a huge bit he missed. He untied it and tried again. After the third attempt, he was finally satisfied with the way his hair looked, and with one last nod he kicked Leo and headed out.

“Man, I can’t believe that this is our last night out before we’re back in that hellhole”, Leo complained as he dropped onto the gray couch. He was in a mood it seemed.

“You make it sound as if we are dying or something”, Nico pointed out but secretly agreed with the Latino.

“Uni, death. Potato, potato”, Leo waved before slapping Nico’s knee. “We have to get you wasted!”

Nico swatted at him, scooted a bit away, and made some room between them as he shook his head. “No. You know that I can’t.”

“Why not though?”

“I don’t want to do or, worse, say something that I might regret”, his thoughts flickered back to the bandage hidden under his clothes before shaking his head.

Leo’s eyes softened. He gave a small nod, “Right. Sorry.”

“It’s okay”, he mumbled. His phone rang with the familiar noise. In a flash, Nico answered the call, a small smile playing on his lips despite himself.

“Hey, Sunshine.”

“Hullo”, the blond laughed on the other end, “Just wanted to tell you that we are heading out. We should be there in 30. Lou and Cecil said that they’ll meet us at the entrance.”

Nico nodded, “We’re waiting for Hazel to finish getting ready and we’ll be on our way too.”

“Surprised they’re not waiting for you”, Will teased, his voice playful and light and making Nico’s stomach swarm with butterflies.

“Shut up, dork. I’ll see you in a few “, he rolled his eyes, his lips stretching even more than before.

“See ya, Death Boy”, he chirped and the line was off.

Nico sighed and pocketed his phone again. He shouted into the direction of the other small bedroom. “Haze, hurry up!”

“And she was telling you something”, Leo snickered. 

Nico joined but was soon cut off by a sharp pain. His body twisted as he fell to his knees sucking in a sharp breath. Dark eyes were squeezed shut as he folded in on himself, trying to stop himself from twitching and screaming his lungs out. A couple of seconds later, the pain went away and Nico was left panting as his bangs got swiped away by gentle hands.

“Let me help you up”, Leo whispered, his expression nothing but sympathetic as he grabbed him by his arm and lifted him back up. 

Leo knelt in front of him, his head tilted a bit up to look him in the eye as he held tightly on his tan hand. “Breath, Nico”, Leo instructed as he rubbed his hands in gentle motions.

Nico gave a wordless nod and did as instructed. He hated this. He hated how he was left so shaken after such a brief moment and how everyone around him always got worried. If he could, he’d stop everything. The worries, the pain, the torture. But he couldn’t and everyone had to deal with it. It was unpredictable, when it’s going to happen, how long it was going to last, how much it was going to hurt. He just had to take it.

“Here you go.” Hazel offered him a glass of cold water which he greedily took, gulping down everything to the last drop. “Need me to bring the first aid kit?”

“No”, he finally managed to say, “All good, no bandages needed.”

“You sure?”

”Promise. Go and finish getting ready”, he waved. Hazel scanned him for a couple of seconds more before nodding and stalking away again. 

“Damn him”, Leo muttered.

Nico’s stomach twisted, his fingers twitched. “Don’t”, he warned. Leo raised his hands in a placating gesture and that was the end of the argument.

Five minutes more and the three of them were all piled in the back of an Uber and on their way to the club. Nico didn’t really know where they were going, he didn’t pay too much attention to what was being said back when they were making plans too distracted by the way his best friend’s head laid on his shoulder and how the blond curls tickled his neck and cheek. 

Soon enough, the car stopped in front of a flashy club and the trio rushed out. There were people waiting outside in a line, chatting and laughing, clearly excited to get inside and get lost in the sea of dancing bodies. 

Bubblegum pink hair flashed on his right and, with a tap on Leo’s shoulder, Nico headed towards Lou. The girl was loudly telling a story to an uninterested Cecil. Her six-inch heels clicked on the pavement as she shifted her feet restlessly and stretched her neck to see how much more they had to wait until they could get in. Nico always wondered how she could spend the entire night in those but she always said it was witchcraft. 

“Di Angelo”, Cecil nodded once he spotted Nico. He nodded back and leaned against the wall, arms crossed, dark bangs covering his face.

“Y’all excited or what?”, Leo cheered as he fist-bumped Cecil and hugged Lou. 

The two have become good friends with them over the years since Lou and Cecil remained friends with Will and the duo came as a package deal with Nico. Their interaction mostly remained on clubbing and occasional hanging out terms but Nico wasn’t complaining. Even after all those years, they still weren’t big fans of him. Something about him being too gloomy. 

“Anyone heard from Willy?”, Lou flicked her shoulder-length hair, little rhinestones flashing at the tops of her eyebrows. She really went all out that night.

“They should be here any time now.” Just as the words left his mouth, a familiar mop of blond hair popped in front of him, a bright smile in place on the gorgeous face he loved so much.

“‘Sup bitches”, Will hollered as his other half joined him.

“Hey, everyone”, Dakota greeted, his arm slung over Will’s shoulders, holding him close as Will’s snaked around his waist. Something in Nico’s stomach uncomfortably churned. 

Conversation floated around him but all Nico could focus on was the closeness between the two men and how Will leaned so comfortably against his boyfriend, his head leaning against Dakota’s shoulder as he smiled at them. His stomach was twisted in a knot he knew all too well as jealousy flared in him. He stomped on it, hid it back where it came from. He couldn’t do anything about it, he reminded himself. 

Will looked as amazing as ever. Long legs wrapped in the tight fabric of his washed-out blue jeans. Loose, seethrough shirt leaving little to nothing to the imagination especially with the way he left a couple of top buttons open, revealing his freckled chest that shimmered slightly with some glitter from his body lotion Nico knew he loved so much. 

But the eyecatcher of the entire look was his face. He had no makeup on that night but he was still too pretty for that world. Freckles dotting his slightly flushed cheeks. Blue eyes crinkled at the edges as that smile never left his lips. Blond locks framing his face in a purposeful fashion.

Absolutely stunning. Nico couldn’t stop staring. Even after so many years, Nico couldn’t get over how beautiful his best friend was and it seemed to him that now at 22 he was at his most beautiful yet. He was so lost in his own little bubble that he didn’t notice a glare he was getting the entire time.

“Come”, he felt a tap on his shoulder, and only then did Nico snapped back. Everyone else had already left and it was just him and Hazel who patiently waited. She offered up her hand which he immediately took with a silent apology.

“It’s okay. We can leave whenever you want to”, she reassured as always. 

“I’ll be okay. It wasn’t that bad this time. No traces as far as I can see.”

Hazel pursed her lips, her eyes trained ahead of them as the noise grew louder as well as the smell of fog machines and alcohol. “If you say so but if anything happens go straight to me.”

He snorted in an attempt of a joke, “Straight.”

She rolled her yes, swatted at him, “Shut up and don’t be stubborn.”

“Fine, fine.”

They rejoined the other’s where they stood in between the bar and the dance floor. Leo was already wiggling a bit in the spot making Nico dread the moment when the Latino unleashes the full force of his bad dance moves.

“Drinks first?”, Cecil asked but waited for no answer as he headed straight to the bar. Dakota followed. Nico felt as if he was able to breathe for a bit once Will was left alone again.

“I don’t really feel like drinking tonight”, he mumbled to no one in particular but his best friend heard him despite it.

“You never do, Death Boy. Loosen up, have some fun”, he smiled, his arm flung across Nico’s shoulders as the blond leaned into him. 

Against his will, Nico leaned back, let his best friend’s warmth seep into his side, and soothe him for a bit before he smiled back and flicked his nose. “I have fun. I just don’t like drinking.”

“Oh, but I remember the times when you loved to go out and drink. When did our roles reverse?”, Will giggled.

About the time when I figured out who my soulmate really is, Nico thought bitterly. “Don’t know. When did you become a hipster, again?”, he teased instead.

Will jabbed a finger into his ribs, made him squeak, and jerk away before he gripped Nico’s shoulders and brought him back in. “Rude, you emo. And I’m not a hipster.”

Nico hummed, a grin playing on his still marked lips as he looked up at him, “Keep telling yourself that.”

“Shots, shots, shots”, Cecil chanted as he lowered a tray with seven shots on the high table. “Dig in everyone.”

Nico watched as everyone rushed in, grabbed a small glass, and downed it in one go. He wished that he could join them and really loosen up like everyone wanted him to but ever since he left high school it had been impossible for him. The soulbond reacted far too often, he could never predict when it was going to happen but one drunk night with it reacting was enough for him to know that he didn’t want to go through it again. Besides, he really didn’t want to blurt something he wasn’t supposed to out and ruin stuff. It was easier to stay sober.

“You sure you don’t want this Nico? One won’t hurt”, Leo offered as he waved the remaining shot in front of him.

His bangs tickled his eyes as he shook his head, “Nah, I’m good. Go for it.”

Leo shrugged, “Cheers”, and downed the glass before slamming it on the table and grabbing Hazel’s hand. “Let’s show them some moves, Haze.”

Hazel giggled, “We should put a warning to let them know that you’re coming. We don’t want to send anyone into the ER.”

An over-exaggerated gasp sounded from Leo as he released her hand and took a step back, hand covering his heart. “How dare you.”

“I wanna dance, too!”, Will whined as he shook Dakota.

“How about I grab another drink and then we go and dance?”, the man bargained, his blue eyes already trained on the bar.

Nico supposed that Dakota wasn’t bad looking but he had no idea what Will saw in him besides the looks. Brown hair, blue eyes, tall and a bit buff, nothing special. Truth be told, he never really got to know the guy. He felt repulsed by the sight of him from day one, jealousy flaring the second his dark eyes laid on the brunette. 

Dakota didn’t show any interest in him either which was perfect in Nico’s book. He was civil with him, for Will’s sake, but that was about it. They barely had more than a handful of conversations in the almost three years of Dakota dating his best friend. 

“Promise?”, Will pressed, stepped closer and Nico gripped the edge of the table.

“Promise, baby”, came a reply followed by a quick peck on the lips. Nico felt his knees buckle under him. He held on the table for support.

He forced himself to breathe evenly, not give a sign of the pain he felt and shake it away as fast as possible. An arm wrapped itself around his waist. “Let’s go, Doom Gloom”, Leo whispered into his ear, a smile on his face but Nico could tell that it was strained.

“Thanks”, he rasped out as he let Leo and Hazel guide him towards the edge of the dancing crowd. He flexed his hands, blew his bangs out of his eyes. “Fuck, I’m sorry. I’m good now, it was just a peck.”

The duo eyed him, their eyes concerned as they silently communicated. “We’re not going back. I’ll be fine. Let’s just...dance or something”, he cut them off before they could even open their mouths.

They wiggled their way into the mass of moving bodies getting sucked into the moment and music that vibrated through all of them. Nico felt as if the beats came from his own heart as he tried to relax and roll his body in the rhythm of the unknown song. 

Lou came and joined them followed by Cecil who already seemed tipsy. They tried to form a small circle but Lou was soon brisked away by an attractive male and Cecil went back to the bar for a refill. Nico didn’t notice the moment when the couple joined them. 

Will winked at Nico, flashed him a smile, before grabbing his boyfriend’s hands and crowding his space as he started to move them around, already lost in the euphoria that filled the room. Nico could tell that Will was completely focused on the man in his arms and the way Dakota's body rolled against his. Their hips swayed, their eyes locked on each other, and Nico didn't stick for the rest.

The dark-haired man turned the other way, decided to ignore it, and the clenching of his stomach and the tingling that he still felt from before. He shouted into his sister’s ear, “I’m going to go and grab something to drink.”

He didn’t wait for a response as he pushed his way back to the bar. Leaning against it, he ordered some water and waited until the nice lady brought it back with a funny look in her eyes which he also ignored. His solitude was interrupted by a voice coming from behind him as another body slid next to his.

“What’s a pretty lady like you doing all alone at the bar?”, the guy drawled, his hand resting on Nico’s shoulder.

Nico slapped his hand off, flicked his hair behind his shoulder, and fixed him with a death glare. “Not a lady, my dude”, he pointed out followed by another sip of the water.

The guy blinked at him, eyes widening for just a second before the look from before slid back on. He smiled at him, “Sorry, man. My bad.”

“Whatever.”

“I’d still like to buy you a drink if you‘d let me”, he pointed towards the occupied bartender. Nico knew where this lead.

“Sorry, I’m not really up for drinking tonight.”

One eyebrow raised, “Yeah? How about a dance then? You look like you could use some fun right about now”, he offered a hand.

Dark eyes stared at it, cheeks puffed out as they flickered over to the dancefloor where his friends were hidden by the crowd. One dance couldn’t hurt, right? He deserved some fun, after all. He nodded, “Sure, I can give you that.”

“Great”, the guy grasped his hand and tugged him forward, “Then let’s get to it. I’m James, by the way.”

“Nico.”

One dance turned into two that soon blended into three and Nico lost track of time. James was fun and a pretty good dancer. They swayed from side to side, bodies knocking against each other, twisting and turning as they got lost in the music. James looked very attractive in the flashing light of the club, his brows glistening with sweat as he flashed him a smile. Too bad Nico didn’t do hookups, the guy was a snack.

“Wanna go for a smoke?”, an offer was shouted into his ear and without much thinking, Nico agreed.

On their way out, they passed by Leo who was catching his breath. Nico explained to him that he’ll be out if they need him and then followed the guy. It was chiller outside then than it was when they first got there. The noise of the club was muffled by the sounds of the car passing by and other people talking and taking a breather like they were.

Nico leaned against a wall as James lit up a cigarette before offering him a pack too. He eyed it for a bit before shaking his head. “Suit yourself”, he muttered before pocketing it.

The mark was still present on James’ lip, Nico noticed. They stood in silence for a bit before James spoke again. “Nice moves you got there.”

“You’re not so bad yourself”, he nodded. 

James smirked, stepped away from the wall and stood in front of him. “Yeah? I could show you some other moves if you’d like”, he muttered lowly, his eyes flickering down for a bit before meeting Nico’s again.

The second he started to lean in, Nico jerked away, pushed against his chest, and sidestepped him. “No, thank you”, he shook his head.

“Aw, c’mon. Don’t be like that. Promise it’ll be worth it”, he chased after him, trying to trap him again.

“I said no, James”, he was starting to get angry at this point. Nico knew that it would be easy to let James kiss him, take him home but he couldn’t do that to Will. 

“Why not?”, James pouted as he seemingly gave up. He leaned back against the wall and took another drag. “Is it because of…?”, he tapped his own mark on his lip.

Nico bit his lip, gave a slow nod, and leaned back too. “It’s a bit more complicated in my case.”

“How come?”

“Let’s just say, I care too much to do something like that.”

“That doesn’t make any sense”, his brows furrowed as he regarded him, “You don’t really seem like the type who believes in all of that soulmate bullshit. What? You gonna save up that kiss to be special?”, he mocked the word.

An airy chuckle left Nico. He ran a hand through his sweaty bangs, “Yeah, I guess.”

“For real?”, he deadpanned. After another nod from the dark-haired man, he gave a low whistle, “That’s...something.”

Nico hummed, “Yep.”

After his cigarette was finished, James explained that he was going to head back to his own friends. He still thanked Nico for the dance. Nico apologized for rejecting him but James only patted him on the shoulder with a comforting smile. With wishes of good luck, they parted ways and Nico went back inside.

Upon seeing Will drunkenly giggling in Dakota’s lap, he second-guessed his decision. Would it be so bad to just let go for one night and seek comfort in a stranger's arms? One look at the blond was enough for him to decide that yes, it would be bad.

He never thought that he’d live to be 22 and not even have his first kiss but love did strange things to people. Even the thought of being with someone else left him with an uneasy feeling paired with guilt and regret. No, he couldn’t do that. And so he resigned to his quiet suffering. 

“You were out for a while”, Leo smirked, his cheeks flushed but whether from dancing or the alcohol Nico didn’t know.

“Yeah, we talked for a bit.”

“We?”

“Just some guy I met. No big deal”, he tried to dismiss.

“Oh, did you finally get some dick?!”, Will gasped, prompting everyone to shush hum before they attracted too much attention. He swayed in his boyfriend’s lap in an attempt to twist himself and face them. “Sorry”, he slurred.

Heat crept up Nico’s face, made his cheeks flare red as he spluttered, “What? No! We just danced and that’s it.”

“Such a prude”, Lou giggled.

“Oi, fuck off, Princess Bubblegum”, he flipped her off.

They stayed for a while more but after Cecil and Dakota both passed out, they called it quits. Nico and Leo helped Lou haul Cecil into the back of an Uber to take them back to Lou’s place and waved them goodbye.

Dakota was up on his feet again, getting suffocated by intoxicated Will who clung to his arm and swayed from side to side to the beat of the music that could still be heard from the inside. The trio bid them goodbye once their own ride showed up and they were once again piled in the back. 

This time, Leo was chatting animatedly about this or that, his drunken babble amusing Nico as he watched him try to explain how he was going to build a mechanical dragon to their driver. Hazel was dozing off on Nico’s shoulder. 

They dropped Leo off at his place before they got back home. Hazel unlocked the door of their apartment, left the keys in the small bowl at the entrance, and toed her shoes off.

“Tea?”, she offered. 

Nico shrugged his jacket off, “Sure.”

They quietly sipped on their teas before Hazel bid him good night and ducked back into her room. Nico sat at the kitchen table for a while more, contemplating if taking a shower was worth it before deciding to just do it in the morning. He quickly washed their cups and then headed to his own room as well.

He didn’t make it far inside before the first shock ran through his body. Nico sucked in a breath, forced himself to stand up, and at least shrug his clothes off before stiffly lying on top of his covers.

“Damn it”, he gritted out. No work will be done that night, it seemed. 

He couldn’t help the images that flooded his mind as the night went on. Will getting kissed by Dakota, their bodies pressed close and tight, lips on lips, dismissive of the people they were hurting. Will with his blond head thrown back and eyes squeezed shut and thoughts far, far away from Nico.

Tears prickled in his eyes as his hurt enveloped him. It was his constant companion, something that he started to seek comfort in. It coursed through his veins, clenched his heart, made him want to scream but he swallowed it down and forced himself to keep his whimpers at the minimum.

He knew that it was undeserved, that it was a consequence of a selfish act and carless thinking prompted by the alcohol-induced brain but he couldn’t make himself get mad at his soulmate. No, not Will. He just wanted him to be happy and Dakota made him happy. He could never take that away from him.

And so he kept his mouth shut and his eyes void of emotions every time a topic of soulmates got brought up, every time his soulinjuries were brought up and every time he got asked why he didn’t date. He couldn’t hurt Will, not when he knew just how awful it was.

Nico just wanted him to be happy. He gave what he had and took what he could and that was enough. All of it was enough because all that mattered was for Will to be happy and for him to smile that smile he grew so fond of back when they first met. 

The night was spent curled in a ball as bruises blossomed across his body accompanied by a cut or two. Nico choked on his tears and prayed for all of it to just end so that he could try and get some sleep. Eventually, he passed out and was woken up in the morning by his sister doting over him as she helped him patch himself up. He was lucky that nights like that one didn’t happen too often.

He ignored her glare and attempts to talk to him. He made up his mind on this one years ago. Will was not to find out.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I'm a day late than usual. Meant to post but then something came up and if you follow me on Instagram you'd know that I'm a mess in general lately however I didn't want to skip on this so here we are. 
> 
> Hope you'll enjoy despite my slip up

If there was a thing that Will grew to hate in his 22-year long life that was mornings. Ever since he left home and started college they have been a source of his misery. Will would’ve loved mornings if they were filled by lazy waking up and cuddling with his boyfriend but what he got instead was his phone blaring at the ass-o’clock, snapping him out of his definitely too short slumber and making him groan first thing in the morning.

“Fuck me”, he mumbled as he turned the offending noise off and flopped back onto his pillow.

Arms tightened their hold on his waist, a warm face nuzzled the back of his neck before his boyfriend sleepily mumbled, “Too early for that.”

If his brain wasn’t still halfway in the dreamland Will would’ve laughed but all Dakota got instead was a lazy smile and a squeeze on his hands. “It’s too early to exist yet look at where I am now.”

“Not my fault that you have to work.”

“Not everyone's parents can pay for them”, he defended. He let himself lean back a bit, soak that warmth that radiated from the man behind him for just a second longer before he gently pried his arms open and crawled out of bed.

“No, stay. I’m cold now”, his boyfriend whined, his arms blindly searching as he stubbornly refused to open his eyes. 

Will chuckled, ducked down. “I gotta go to work, babe. I’ll see you in a few hours”, he explained as he kissed him softly on the cheek.

A sleepy smile settled on Dakota’s face, “Okay”, he hummed and promptly fell back to sleep.

After his usual morning routine which included ignoring his lips, a facemask while he did yoga because that was the most productive way to do both, a too-long shower and too quick breakfast, Will was speeding down the busy streets, late for work as per usual.

He glanced at his watch as he waited at a red light, thanking God for probably the millionth time that week for giving him Hazel as his co-worker before speeding to the small coffee shop. He tripped on his way out of the car, almost hit the lamp post with his head as he tried to balance himself and knocked some random guy over in his pathetic attempt to not fall. 

“Sorry, dude”, Will hastily apologized before bursting into the coffee shop.

Golden eyes narrowed his way but Hazel’s expression was only exasperated as she waved at him to hurry. “Punctual, per usual, Willy.”

He winked at her, flashed her his usual grin, “You know it, Haze.” 

“Just hurry up.”

“Aye, aye, captain”, he saluted before ducking into the back room. He was out a couple of minutes later, his uniform on and smile ready for the customers that just poured in for their morning fix.

Working at Hestia’s was one of Will’s favorite things ever. He started working there during his second year and he hasn’t left the job since. The shop was small and cozy, the whole place radiating a comforting sort of warmth with it’s orange, yellow, and red decor. It often reminded him of fall and sunsets. He loved the smell of coffee and freshly made treats, the apple pie being his favorite when combined with some mint tea. 

He knew the customers and they knew him. Will greeted his regulars with his usual smiles and winks, playful nudges, and small talk before seeing them off knowing that he’ll be serving them again tomorrow. The tip jar was always quick to fill considering how powerful he and Hazel were.

The golden-eyed girl only started working the same shift as him a month ago but it was obvious that they were the dream team. Their long friendship gave a firm concrete for their unstoppable dynamic. Will’s sunshiney persona combined with the kindness that the small girl emanated and her warmth towards everyone made people love them and their shifts the busiest ones in the shop.

“Pink hair, six o’clock”, Hazel told him as he fixed some coffee for a sweet old lady. Blond head snapped up and Will turned to wave at Lou before rushing through the coffee and seeing the lady off with a good tip. 

“Hey, Lou! The usual?”, he quickly checked as he moved towards the display glass to grab some strawberry muffins for his friend.

“Of course”, she rolled her eyes and slumped on the counter. They were lucky that there were only a couple of people left, the rush already over and their pockets ready to be filled.

“I’ll bring it over to ya, grab a seat.”

He grabbed a piece of pie for himself, deciding that it was the right time for his break and took a seat with Lou. He slid her order over before biting into his pie. The girl mumbled her thanks, her eyes telling him that she had a late-night as she grabbed the cup and greedily sipped on her coffee. They sat there for a few minutes, waiting for the coffee to kick in.

However, Will quickly got bored. He glanced at her, stared a bit at her now unmarked lips. They were unmarked for a week now but this was the first time that Will saw them without the lipstick. He briefly traced his own before dropping his hand, guilt clenching hard in his gut.

As much as he loved Dakota, the guy wasn’t his soulmate. He was happy with him and loved their relationship. Dakota was a wonderful boyfriend who was always there for him and supported him through everything. They were dating for almost three years at this point.

After the whole Lacy fiasco, Will took some time for himself before jumping back up with Nico’s help. His best friend was nothing but supportive of him through the years and he couldn’t thank him enough. He tried and tried and tried. Sometimes he didn’t go past the first date, sometimes they would make it to the kiss but all of the time the person would leave because it wasn’t it and they didn’t want to go farther.

Will got his heart broken more times than he was proud of. He always chided himself for falling so quickly, for hoping and praying that it was finally it only to get himself hurt time and time again, his hopes shriveling and the picture-perfect story he made in his head fading until he only had some pitiful leftovers. 

Every time, Nico was there. Helping him, comforting him and building him back up. He hated how dependent he was of his best friend, how he always burdened him as if he didn’t have any issues on his own but he couldn’t help but feel happy because at least he had someone who got him and didn’t judge him for it. 

But then Dakota happened. 

They met at a party and Will thought nothing of it until Dakota asked him for his number at the end of the night. Tipsy and flustered, Will quickly typed the digits with his shaky fingers, his hopes starting to wake once again. He warned himself not to get them too high, that he could still get hurt, that Dakota might be just like the others. But it was quickly obvious that he wasn’t and their failed kiss proved it right.

The blue-eyed man only smiled at him and, for the first time since they started going out, showed shyness as he asked if Will would still like to go out again. Euphoric from the offer, Will kissed him many times more before nodding his yes, his heart beating too quickly and his brain too muddled for real words. 

Even after all of the kisses and after so much time spent together, Will still couldn’t say that he didn’t think of his soulmate. He thought of them every time he looked into the mirror, looked at someone else’s marks. Every time Dakota held him, hugged him, kissed him. Whenever Dakota's lips touched his, he felt nice, warm, loved but he also felt guilty, dirty, wrong. It wasn’t right, there was just something missing and it broke his heart.

But Will held onto that small bit of love and happiness he could get. Onto Dakota’s touches and affection. His loving words and whispered promises. He held onto them because he was starting to let go of the hope of ever finding anything better. Dakota loved him and Will loved him back and that had to be enough.

He envied Lou, he knew he did. He envied how she didn’t care but she still got what he always dreamt of. Will shouldn’t, she was one of his best friends after all but it was stronger than him. Life was just not fair, it seemed.

“How did your date go?”, he finally broke the silence.

Lou took another sip, smacked her lips. “It was nice. She took me to this cute little restaurant. You should take Kool-aid there.”

Will rolled his eyes, “Don’t call him that, you know that he doesn’t like it.”

Kool-aid was the nickname that was given to Dakota by Nico and Lou when they learned of the man’s past addiction to the sugary drink. Will could tell that his boyfriend minded it a lot but the man was too kind to say anything so Will took the matter in his own hands. They stopped...mostly.

“Sorry”, she smiled, “But it was seriously a cute place.”

“You and Miranda getting along okay?”, he inquired.

Lou hummed as she tucked a strand of pink hair behind her ear, “I think we do. It just...feels right, ya know?”, she sighed, “We just click together perfectly and I know that I can be myself.” 

Will smiled at her, the gesture feeling fake and tight as he pushed the bitter feeling down his throat, “That’s amazing Lou, I’m happy for you.”

She smiled back, “Thanks, Willy.”

He quickly finished his pie then excused himself with an excuse of having work to do when he actually went and sat in the bathroom for a bit to try and get rid of the nasty feelings that he was having. He reminded himself that his life was good despite not having met his soulmate. 

He had an amazing boyfriend, perfect friends, a good job and school was going well too, he couldn’t have asked for more. With a reassuring smile in the mirror, while promptly ignoring the mark that seemed to burn with shame, Will headed back out. 

Hazel quickly slipped into the empty seat next to Frank who probably just got there, marking the beginning of her own break loud and clear. Will observed them for a quick second. How they shyly smiled at each other, cheeks flushed and bright as their eyes shined with joy. It was quite obvious to him, and everyone else, that those two needed to get together but he knew that urging them was useless. They’ll work it out themselves, eventually.

“One big latte and a cute barista to go, please”, a familiar voice requested and Will smiled brightly at his boyfriend.

“Hey, baby.”

“Hi. How’s it going?”, Dakota leaned against the counter the same way Lou did and gazed at him through hazy eyes.

“Same old, same old”, he mumbled as he worked on the order.

Dakota hummed, “You have classes after, right?”

“Yep”, he slid the cup towards his waiting hand, and mirrored his position, “And then I’m off to Nico’s.”

He could immediately see the blue eyes darkening as Dakota frowned slightly. “Di Angelo? Why?”

Will rolled his eyes and flicked his nose, “Because he’s my best friend and it’s movie night.”

Movie night was something that they established during high school. It was sacred and never skipped no matter what. Will loved it, it was their thing. He loved cuddling up to Nico and watching dumb movies as they goofed off. They might’ve gotten older but they were still the same kids that they were when they met and Will lived for it. Nico was the most precious and constant part of his life, hands down.

“I thought that you were going to go to the party with me”, Dakota mumbled.

“What party?”

“The one I told you about three days ago. You know that my friends invited me.”

Will inwardly flinched. How could he have been so stupid? “I’m so sorry, baby. I forgot but, even if I didn’t, I couldn’t ditch on Death Boy”, he took his boyfriend’s hands into his, rubbed small circles into them, “Promise to make up for it, though.”

“Can’t you just leave the sucker alone?”, he pushed.

Will’s frown deepened. He knew that Dakota didn’t like Nico all that much, for a reason unknown to him, but he never straight out insulted him. “What? No. I’m sorry, I really am.”

His boyfriend sighed, shook his head. “Right, sorry. You just rarely come with me and I was looking forward to it.”

“Next time, promise”, he reassured once more. 

“I know, babe. You’re just busy. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad”, he glanced at his watch and sighed. Dakota downed his cup, “I gotta run, don’t wanna be late. I’ll see you tonight then?”

“I’ll probably be asleep but yeah, tonight”, he smiled. 

A firm kiss was pressed onto his cheek before Dakota kissed his hands too and let go. “Love you, baby.”

“Love you more”, he smiled.

The rest of the shift flew by quickly as well as his classes. He found himself wondering if he did the right thing. Dakota did seem down about Will rejecting him but one text from Nico was more than enough to convince him that he made the right choice.

‘This enough? We could order takeout’, with an attached picture of snacks piled on his kitchen table.

He smiled then typed a quick reply.

‘We’re not feeding an army, it’s too much. Takeout sounds good, see you tonight :)’

‘Can’t wait :)’

He drove the familiar way to Nico’s apartment. It was closer than his dorms used to be, something Will liked a lot when Nico first moved out. The apartment itself was nice. Nothing too much but enough for Nico and Hazel to live comfortably in. They were lucky that their dad was willing enough to offer it to them. 

He parked the car and, this time, with a small trip he headed towards the building. Will passed Hazel on his way up. She had a backpack on, her hair pulled into a bun unlike the loose curls he saw earlier.

“Hey, Haze. Off to Leo’s?”

“Yeah”, she smiled, “You two better not break anything this time.”

“It was an accident”, he defended with a sheepish smile.

Hazel narrowed her eyes at him, “Tell that to my broken figurines.”

“I bought you new ones!”

She ignored the comment and instead waved him off, “Bye, Will.”

Will sighed and completed his way up. He wasted no time knocking and just barged in instead. Cerberus’ familiar bark greeted him before his best friend managed to. 

“Hey there, buddy”, Will cooed as he rubbed his head.

“Wow, to be put below a dog. I don’t think I could go any lower”, Nico drawled as he leaned against the wall, arms crossed but a smile on his face nonetheless. He was clad in loose black sweatpants and a long sleeve shirt, his long hair loose and all over the place, effectively keeping his face hidden. Nico tucked a part of it behind his ear.

“He’s cuter, can you blame me?”, Will teased.

Dark eyes narrowed his way, “You take that back or else I’m putting a burial documentary on.”

“I’m sorry”, he panicked, blue eyes wide and knowing full well that the other was serious, “Please no documentaries, I had nightmares for days.”

“That’s what I thought”, Nico smirked before helping him up and hugging him.

“You definitely give better hugs than Cerberus does”, he teased despite truly enjoying the familiar embrace. 

Nico snorted, “Of course I do. Wanna go and shower while I set everything up?” 

Will gasped and quickly pushed Nico off with a huff. “Are you trying to tell me that I smell bad, Death Boy?”, he fake pouted.

Nico’s confused expression melted into an exasperated one as he huffed a laugh. “Yeah, I don’t want you to stink my whole apartment.”

“I am offended. Affronted. Wounded. How dare you….”, his monologue was cut off by Nico pushing him in the general direction of the bathroom.

The dark-haired man shook his head, stifled a laugh, “Go, Sunshine.”

“Fine”, he agreed before sidestepping him and ducking into Nico’s room. He ignored the familiar mess, quickly eyed the latest piece that Nico was working on, it was a very cute and very gay couple, before grabbing some pajamas and a shirt for the shower.

He made sure to make it quick since he didn’t want to leave his best friend waiting for too long. Ten minutes later and feeling refreshed after spending the entire day in the same clothes Will was sitting comfortably in one of Nico’s plaid pajama bottoms and a shirt that was probably oversized on his friend but fit him perfectly which meant that it was probably one of Will’s.

Nico bid goodbye to the delivery guy and shut the door with his foot before coming back his way again.

“I ordered Chinese, hope you don’t mind”, he explained as he lowered the boxes on the table and flopped down next to him.

“Not at all. Thank you, Death Boy”, he kissed his cheek and immediately dove after the boxes to fill up his empty stomach. 

The two of them enjoyed their food with Cerberus who patiently waited for one of them to take pity on him and share their meal. Will told Nico about his day and about the shit load of assignments that they already got and in return, Nico complained about being late to his morning classes due to oversleeping and about the fact that he mostly had morning classes that year.

“You don’t have a right to complain about those”, Will told him, “I mean, look at me. No morning classes but I still have to wake up to go to work. Now, Dakota, he got away nicely. Wish I could sleep in like him, too”, he commented offhandedly. 

“What? And flunk two years, too?”, Nico huffed, his mouth filled with food but he obviously didn’t care. 

Will flicked him on the nose, “Don’t talk with your mouth full, Death Boy. And don’t be mean. He’ll get there.”

In reality, Nico wasn’t wrong. Dakota really did flunk two years. His boyfriend was two years older than him and still in the same year as himself. Will guessed that that was the power of rich parents. He couldn’t afford it. His parents already funded a big lot of Austin’s and Kayla’s studies and he himself got there on a scholarship. That didn’t stop him from wishing to sleep in every now and then.

“Sure he will”, Nico replied as he swallowed. 

“Don’t be so skeptical”, Will rolled his eyes.

Nico looked at him with a deadpan expression, propped his head in the palm of his hand, and let a self-satisfied smirk spread on his lips, “Yeah? And let me guess, he’s not at some party right now but at your place, patiently waiting for you to come back.” He even dared to quirk a thick eyebrow at him.

Will narrowed his eyes, declaring a staring contest that Nico quickly won. He sighed. “He’s at a party, yes. Apparently I was supposed to come with him. I honestly didn’t even know that there was a party. I feel bad”, he confessed.

Nico’s dark gaze immediately softened as he scooted a bit closer, his hand resting on Will’s shoulder, “No reason to feel bad. I would’ve been okay if you canceled tonight. You should’ve gone if you wanted to.”

Will’s heart melted at the gesture, his best friend being far too kind towards him. He closed the distance and wrapped an arm around Nico’s thin frame. “That’s okay. There’ll be plenty of parties to go to. Plus, I need my Death Boy time.”

It was probably the light doing tricks on him but Will could’ve sworn that he saw Nico’s cheeks darkening before he hid behind his hair. “If you say so”, his best friend mumbled. 

“Well, I do. How about we put that movie on and I braid your hair? I hate how you cover that pretty face with it”, he offered.

Will observed as Nico puffed out his cheeks, went quiet for a second, deflated them, and nodded before grabbing the remote to put on something that they’d both enjoy. 

Will quickly repositioned them, Nico’s back ending up pressed closely to his chest as Will combed through the long, black strands with his fingers. He admired the softness of his best friend’s hair, the way it showed how much attention and care Nico put into it unlike everything else about himself, and the minty smell that filled his nose as he started braiding it.

He took his time, careful to make sure that each strand was put in the right place to make Nico proud. His movements, however, stopped once he reached Nico’s neck. A large bruise peeked from his shirt and, without thinking, Will tugged the collar down to reveal the rest of it. 

The sight of it made him sick to his stomach. He desperately wished that it was a consequence of one of Nico’s brawls like back in high school but the reality was far crueler than that. Soulinjuries were one of the most horrible things that Will could think of. Hardly healable, they usually took an absurd amount of time to completely disappear. They looked painful and from what he knew they were. His best friend had the misfortune to be decorated by them more than the others. 

He gently touched the tender skin, traced the bruise with the pads of his fingers. It was red, purple and blue, looking pretty fresh. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?”, bitterness dripped from his voice but he couldn’t help it. 

Nico always went out of his way to hide them from him. Was it because Will himself never even felt the bond react or because he didn’t want to worry him, Will didn’t know. He only knew that his best friend hiding something like this from him hurt like hell.

Nico visibly stiffened. Will could tell that he was holding his breath. His voice came out strained, “It was nothing to worry you about, I’m sorry Sunshine. It wasn’t that bad this time.”

He knew that Nico was lying, it was obvious. “How much more?”

A beat of silence, then a whispered, “A lot.”

The whispered voice broke him. Will tried to swallow his tears as he gently placed the shirt back and wordlessly continued to work on the braid. He knew that Nico didn’t want to talk about, knew how much it hurt him to even see them let alone talk about them. Nico told him so himself. He wanted to respect that.

But again, Will couldn’t help but feel sorry. He didn’t understand what his best friend did to deserve something like that. Life never treated him well and his soulmate was only icing on the cake. For years, Will watched as he slowly withered away. Got thinner, stopped training as much. Paler skin, darker eye bags. Withdrawn and looking a bit lost. He didn’t deserve it. He didn't deserve the sadness that reflected in his eyes.

Will wrapped the other man in his arms, tucked his head into the crook of his neck, and closed his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

Nico faltered for a second before latching onto his arms. He audibly gulped, “Y-yeah, I am, too.”

They stayed like that for a long time. Holding each other and not saying a word. Sometimes that was just something that both of them needed. The sadness for his best friend combined with guilt in Will, made him feel overwhelmed and sick.

The bruise reminded him of their night out clubbing two weeks ago. 

He shouldn’t have let himself get so carried away. Shouldn’t have drunk so much or let Dakota drink so much. He knew that his boyfriend was weak to alcohol, being able to drink incredible amounts and not stopping until he was completely wasted. He should’ve known better. 

The morning after, he didn’t feel sick because he drank. No, he felt sick because he knew what he did. He knew that his soulmate had a rough night only because Will couldn’t control himself and it made him hate himself and cover in shame.

He always refrained from the lip on lip contact. Not because he didn’t like it but because he knew the price. Every kiss was carefully given, with thoughts of his soulmate plaguing his mind. Quick pecks most of the time. But then there were the nights like that one. The ones he always regretted.

He and Nico rarely discussed soulmates nowadays. The topic became too bitter and painful to both over the years. They never went past some brief conversations.

Nico was fast asleep in his arms when he checked the time. Almost midnight. He should really head out. He shook his best friend’s shoulder, getting him to stir.

Nico blinked up at him, smacked his lips. “What’s wrong?”

“I gotta go, Death Boy”, he whispered.

“Go?”, he pouted adorably before lifting himself up a bit, “Why? You could stay the night.”

“I know but I need to get something done before classes tomorrow plus I promised Dakota that I’ll come back”, he apologized, ran a hand through the dark bangs to reveal the pale face that was facing him. 

Nico lifted himself completely up and stretched. He offered him a hand that Will took then left and changed back into his clothes before coming to help with cleaning up. They tossed the trash and tidied the mess they made while Cerberus lazily stared at them from his spot in the corner. 

Will stood by the door and ran a hand through his blond locks. He faced Nico, “I’m gonna head out now. Please try and get some sleep and don’t skip breakfast in the morning.”

The other smiled at him, sleepy and small. “I’ll try”, he yawned.

Will gave Nico one last but long hug before bidding him good night and heading out. The drive back was uneventful and soon he found himself in his dark apartment.

He flicked the lights on. The place was empty, as expected. His phone showed no texts from Dakota but that wasn’t surprising either. He chugged his clothes off, not bothering to put anything on, before climbing into bed with only his underwear on. 

The uneasy feeling from earlier never left him. In fact, it only intensified since he left Nico’s. It made him feel guilty and scared. As if something bad is going to happen any moment now. The feeling only grew until Will started dreading whatever was to come.

He told himself that he was being ridiculous before tugging the covers closer to his chin and drifting into an uneasy sleep.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plot twist? Nah, y'all should've seen something like this coming

Sun. Warm and shiny. Its rays streamed in through the holes in Nico’s curtains, shone bright and light. They fell on the sleeping figure tucked next to him, the blond’s arms holding tightly onto Nico’s waist, his face pressed close into the crook of his neck. 

A content smile stretched on Nico’s lips. He reached out, ran a hand through the soft locks, down the freckled cheek, over an exposed shoulder, and followed the path of the spine. He felt at peace. Tranquility ran through his veins and he sighed deeply. The man in his arms shifted ever so slightly and the urge to see his beautiful face became too much for him to bear. 

Nico reached up again, pushed the tan shoulder, and just as he was about to move those pretty blond locks his fucking alarm blared right next to his ear. 

The dark-haired man flipped over with a groan and blindly smacked his hand around until the cursed thing was off. He squeezed his eyes shut as the familiar feeling of loss and sadness overcame him again.

Stupid. He was stupid for believing in yet another dream. He hated having them and he hated how frequent they were. How his hopes would get built up only to come crashing back down every time he came back to the waking world. 

It wasn’t always the same dream. Sometimes they were out on a date in a lovely flower field, Will’s smile was the center of Nico’s world like always as the other told him that he loved him. Sometimes they were hanging out like usual in Nico’s living room but the air around them just felt different and Will’s mark wasn’t there and Nico wasn’t in pain and he was happy, soaring, giddy. 

And then he’d wake up and remind himself that those were just dreams, useless fantasies. That Will was happy with another man by his side and that it was silly to even think that something like that would happen. 

Nico rubbed his eyes, determined not to let the tears fall, and sucked in a deep breath. He would not let his day be ruined by this. He had a lovely night with Will over. They watched movies and cuddled and Nico felt better than he had in that entire week. He won’t let that happiness get ruined by a stupid dream.

He forced himself up, into a sitting position. Cerberus wagged his tail from his spot by Nico’s feet and he patted his head before running a hand over the braid that was left from last night. A small smile played on his lips as he thought of long, tan fingers gently carding through his hair, rubbing his scalp, tracing the tender bruise on his back.

The pale hand dropped as Nico decided that he needed to go and get a shower right that moment to clear his head a bit and wash away any remains of the tantalizing dream. He took his time, seeing as Hazel wasn’t home yet, enjoying the warm water that helped with his muddled thoughts.

He slipped out of the steamy bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist and held firmly in case Cerberus was feeling like playing tug war at that moment. The dog was munching on his food in the kitchen, completely ignoring his existence much to Nico’s pleasure.

However, he made a mistake by looking in the mirror that sat in the corner of his messy room. Wrapped in only a towel, Nico could see his skin in full display. He didn’t enjoy the view of his pale and thin body adored by cuts and bruises in various sizes and stages of healing. Will’s presence yesterday clearly took its toll seeing as a lot of them were looking better than the previous day.

That was something that Nico noticed after years of being subjected to soulinjuries. Being in close proximity to your soulmate didn’t make them disappear or heal as fast as they do once you share a kiss but they do heal a bit better and faster. It always felt like a breath of fresh air to find his body aching a bit less but he hated the fact that he had to be so dependent on one person in order to feel that.

He traced a scar that rounded his arm, right were an assortment of flowers laid inked in his skin. It was his first big soulinjury, one that took months and months to heal. Once it did, Nico went straight to Rachel and demanded a sleeve tattooed over the scar. He couldn’t bear a sight of it, too disgusted and scared. Rachel did a stellar job and his arm was now covered in a black and white half-sleeve of different flowers. 

A disgusted look crossed his face after staring at his reflection for far too long. He turned on his heel, rummaged through his closet and tugged some old sweatpants and a hoodie on before marching over to the kitchen for a breakfast he knew he couldn’t eat. He tied his hair into a high ponytail as he searched through the kitchen cabinets. 

In the end, he had a banana and an extra-large cup of coffee. After his meal, which he knew wasn’t good enough, he settled on his work desk and got set on completing the commissions that were waiting for it for far too long. He was finally feeling well enough to do so after being in a lot of pain just a bit less than a week ago.

He doesn’t know how long he worked there until his cup became empty and he had two pieces all finished and ready to be sent. He concluded that another round of coffee was much needed and with that thought in mind he took a small break. While making his drink, Nico remembered that he needed to text Will.

His stomach lurched by the thought of talking to his best friend. He gave himself some time to enjoy the giddiness, feeling silly and stupid at the same time but unable to help himself. He took his phone out and opened his texts with Will.

‘You there?’, he sent.

The reply came quickly. ‘Yep, on my break rn :)’

‘Good. I had a question’

‘Shoot’

He puffed out his cheeks for a second, contemplating if it was a good decision or not. Both, his mind and heart, said yes. He quickly typed the text and sent it as he held his breath in an anticipation of the reply.

‘Since it’s out last year we have to make this big art project. Everything is up to us but we have to have a consistent model and show it in different pieces. I was wondering if you would be up for modeling for me? You don’t have to say yes! Take your time and let me know once you decide’

Will was always a big inspiration for Nico. Ever since he was young, he loved trying to capture Will’s blue, blue gaze, his freckled cheeks, curly hair. Pages upon pages were filled by his pictures and drawings, all in the secret of course. He couldn’t have the blond knowing.

As soon as he heard what he needed to do, he knew that Will would be the perfect model. Nico already had a billion ideas and plans for his pieces, all of them tailored to show Will’s beauty in its full glory. It would make him incredibly happy if Will said yes. 

His cheeks stayed puffed as he waited for any kind of reaction from his best friend. His palms started to sweat, he anxiously wiped them off his sweatpants. Luckily, Will’s response came quickly again.

‘Yeah sure. You can tell me more about it next time we hang out. It sounds like fun :)’ 

Nico released a breath of relief. His lips tilted upwards into a small smile as he stared at the response. 

Will said yes. He can finally start planning the whole thing. In reality, he knew about the project since their first day but he didn’t have the courage to ask until now. He didn’t want to use anyone else since nobody seemed good enough. Plus, this meant spending more time with his soulmate and staring at him without seeming like a creep. It was a win-win for him.

‘Thank you so much! I’ll explain the details later then. Have fun at work <3’

‘I won’t but thanks <3 :)’

He chuckled and with a warm cup in hand, headed back to his room. 

The rest of the day passed by in a blur. He managed to finish the leftover commissions and immediately opened new ones. Bills and food needed to be paid, after all. After making sure that everything was set up correctly, he moved to his bed and started on his homework. Sadly, studies needed to be done, too.

The front door opened and closed with a familiar click, it was already getting dark outside. Nico’s head snapped up. He lowered the pencil which he used for making notes and listened more closely. Some shuffling could be heard, the sound of bags being dropped on the floor.

“Haze?”, he called. 

His own door creaked open. A mass of cinnamon curls peeked through. “Hi, Neeks. I bought some groceries if you’d like to make dinner together. Sorry, I’m late, I went to the movies with Frank after my shift ended.”

“It’s okay. I’ll be out in a bit.”

Nico spent some more time while finishing his notes then went to join his sister. Hazel stood at the kitchen counter, PJs on and her hair up in a bun. Music played from their radio and filled their small apartment as she chopped down some vegetables. 

Nico followed her example and put his hair up in a bun too and silently stepped up. He started preparing the meat as he hummed to the song, let his foot tap gently on the floor as Cerberus circled his feet. The dog stared up at him, eyes big and wide open in a silent plea.

The dark-haired man rolled his eyes with a huffed out a laugh and tossed him a small bit. “Don’t you dare ask for more”, he threatened.

“You spoil him too much”, Hazel muttered beside him.

“I can’t help it. Have you seen him?”, he defended despite knowing that she was right. His sister had a knack for it, after all.

“Still.”

“Yeah, yeah”, he waved with his hand before remembering that he had a knife in it. He immediately dropped it down. “How was your date?”

Hazel’s cheeks flared red as she started sputtering, “It wasn’t a date!”

“Sure it wasn’t”, he teased with a shit-eating grin.

“It wasn’t”, she slapped his arm, “We just went to watch a movie and that’s it. Must you be so difficult?”

“I must. It’s tiring to watch y’all circling each other for years. Everyone agrees. Leo even offered to lock you up in his closet until you guys talk it out.”

Hazel lowered her head, eyes narrowed and staring holes into the cutting board, “There’s nothing to talk about. We’re just friends. That’s it.”

Nico looked at her for a bit. Lip jutted out, the dark mark on it standing out from the rest, eyes hard and cold. His heart broke, the playfulness left it. “Why do you lie to yourself?”

“I don’t…”

“You do, Hazel”, he cut her off and went back to chopping the meat, “You know what you feel and it’s quite obvious that he feels the same. What are you waiting for? There’s nothing stopping you.” There are no soulmates to feel guilty about, he wanted to say. However, Hazel caught on the tone of his voice.

“Just because neither have a soulmate doesn’t mean that it’s easy”, she spat out. 

A hurt look crossed his face for a second before it changed into an angry one. “Yeah? Well news flash, even if you were soulmates it wouldn’t mean that it would be easy either.”

His sister’s eyes softened. She dropped whatever it is that she was doing, “Neeks, I’m sorry. I didn’t…”

“It’s okay”, he sighed, “I know. I just don’t get it, Haze. You two may have had the misfortunes of your own but it's clear that you fit perfectly well together despite it. Why wait?”

He knew that it wasn't easy for either of them. Hazel, with a dead soulmate, and soulmateless Frank. People always looked at them weirdly. It was just the way people were with people like them. But they still fit so well together. Nico liked to think that they were soulmates and that the universe just made some sort of mistake. There wasn’t any other explanation. 

It was obvious that they made each other happy. They worked together so well and immediately clicked. It would be a shame to miss out on that opportunity.

“For the same reason as you, I suppose”, she explained and went back to work.

Fear. She was scared, just like Nico. Scared of all of the ‘what if’s and of rejection and of ruining everything. He nodded, no reason to discuss it anymore. It would be hypocritical from both of them and neither needed it.

They finished dinner and silence and ate it as they watched some shitty TV show. Hazel told him about work and how Will managed to trip over and spill coffee all over himself and how some girl wouldn’t leave before he gave her his number, much to his embarrassment. She also told him about how Will blushed while texting Nico but he wouldn’t buy it.

“Even if he did blush, it was probably out of embarrassment”, Nico defended as he stabbed his food.

“Keep telling yourself that”, she hummed as she stuffed her face full, cheeks bulging like a squirrel. 

Nico liked spending nights like that one with his sister. The two of them got even closer over the years and Nico had the luck of finding an amazing friend in Hazel. She and Leo were the only people who knew who his soulmate was. It was a hard thing to tell them and it took months for him to get Hazel to stop trying to talk him into telling Will.

Despite that, she was always understanding with him and always made sure that he was taking care of himself. If it wasn’t for her, there would’ve been the days when Nico wouldn’t be able to leave the bed and get himself patched up. She always fussed and cursed at him but helped him nonetheless and that was all that mattered.

In return, Nico was her support through the whole Frank thing just like he was her support and defender during high school when people gave her a hard time. He did his best to be a good big brother and he liked to think that he would make Bianca proud. 

They started discussing what to watch next when they heard a knock on the front door. It was almost 9 pm, pretty late for any of their friends to visit.

“Did we expect anyone?”, Nico wondered out loud.

“I don’t think so. Maybe it’s one of the neighbors.”

“Maybe”, the dark-haired man agreed as he made his way to the door. Another knock sounded as he started unlocking it. “Just a second.”

The door was barely open when Nico found his arm full of a heavy body that clung onto him like a lifeline. The familiar smell of lemons and honey filled his nose. Nico stiffened, eyes going wide as he stared at his best friend.

“Sunshine? What are you doing here?”

Will’s response came out in a form of sob that escaped his lips. After the first one, he couldn't seem to stop as he clung onto Nico’s hoodie, soaking it with tears. His whole body was shaking as he buried his head into the crook of Nico’s neck. 

Nico started panicking and before he could do anything, Hazel was by their side and guiding them towards Nico’s room. “I’ll be out there if you need anything, okay?”, she bit her lip as she eyed the crying man in his arms.

Nico’s eyes were trained on Will and the way his shoulders were shaking as he continued to cry, probably unaware that they even moved. “Yeah, okay.”

Nico found himself lost. Will didn’t message him during the day, he had no idea what could’ve happened to make him a sobbing mess that he was. If he was honest, it’s been years since Will cried like that. A thought crossed his mind but Nico quickly discarded it and prayed that it wasn’t what he thought it was. It would only make everything ten times more complicated.

He slowly led them to his bed, careful not to trip on the mess that was left all over the floor. The second he sat down, he had his lap full as Will straddled his thighs, hands digging into his back as he still hid his face. Nico ran a hand over Will’s back in soothing motions as he softly shushed him.

“It’s okay. Let it all out, I’ve got you”, he murmured. The words seemed to help as Will gave a small nod. They sat like that for a while, Nico running his hands over his back and through his hair as he tried to comfort him in the best way possible.

Will’s sobs seemed to reduce as he sniffled and shuffled on Nico’s lap. 

“You ready to talk about it?”, he softly inquired, careful not to seem pushy. 

Will slowly lifted his head but kept it tilted down. Nico could still see his face though. It was blotchy and red, eyes puffy and bluer than ever. He looked ashamed as he rubbed them. Nico swatted his hand away and cupped his freckled cheeks to rub the tears away himself. He ran a gentle thumb over the red cheeks, whipping the salty tears away.

Nico ran a hand through blond bangs. “What happened, Sunshine?”, he whispered.

Will’s bottom lip quivered. He bit on it and sucked in a deep breath. Blue eyes met dark ones. “Dakota found him”, he whispered as tears started gathering again.

“Found who?”, but Nico already knew what he meant. Dread started seeping into his heart.

“His soulmate”, he said with a broken voice as tears slipped down his cheeks. 

Time seemed to stop. Nico’s whole world tipped on the axis. He was suddenly very aware of Will’s closeness, the way his breath hit his face, and his hands cupping Will’s soft cheeks. He could feel every beat of his heart hard against his ribs and the way Will’s whole body shook slightly as held on Nico’s shoulders with a steely grip. 

A thousand emotions passed through him, hit him like a train, and left him breathless. Hope, happiness, confusion, anger, fear, excitement. Nico couldn’t seem to keep up with them as he struggled to school his features and act properly. Out of all things, it had to be the worst one.

A heavy weight settled down in Nico’s stomach, his heart shattered. That couldn’t be happening. Will was happy. Will finally had it all. Will shouldn’t have been hurt like that. Not like that. Never like that. 

“What? When?”, he blurted out.

“Last night”, Will said through his tears, “At the party. He...he said…”, he broke down again at that. Nico was ready this time. His arms immediately wrapped around the narrow waist as he tucked Will close. His heart clenched, hurting because his best friend was so devastated, so hurt, so broken again. 

“I’m sorry, Sunshine. I’m really sorry”, he muttered as he kissed his head. 

Will nodded, arms wrapped around Nico’s neck. “I am, too.”

They laid down after some time. Only then did Nico notice that Will was in his casual clothes, sweatpants and a hoodie. He probably came over right after Dakota told him, Nico concluded. Will’s crying stopped a while ago so Nico carefully detached himself as he offered to go and fetch Will something to drink while he freshened himself up a bit.

The two left Nico’s room. The whole apartment was in the dark, the only bit of light coming from Hazel’s room. Cerberus was nowhere in sight so Nico guessed that she took him with. Bless her heart. Will shuffled over to the bathroom and disappeared, leaving Nico alone in the kitchen.

He prepared Will’s comfort drink, mint tea, and a cup of hot chocolate for himself as quietly as he could. He also grabbed some leftover dinner in case Will was hungry or something before going back to his room to clean up a bit.

He tossed the clothes into his laundry basket, opened the window to get some fresh air in since it was too stuffy inside and changed into his pajamas before laying out some for Will too. The blond came back in just as Nico settled down against the headboard, the cup in hand as he looked through the window and onto the busy street. 

“You can change into PJs if you’d like”, he nodded towards the pile at the foot of the bed. 

“Thanks”, Will whispered as he immediately pulled his hoodie off. Nico didn’t recognize it so he assumed that it belonged to Dakota which would explain Will’s urgency. He did his best to be a good boy and not look at his best friend as he changed. He knew it was silly since he had seen Will change many times before but he felt awkward about doing it at that moment. Will was already too vulnerable as it was.

His best friend quickly settled down next to him, his own cup in hand. They quietly sipped on their drinks.

“Hungry?”, Nico offered him the plate which Will took with a small smile. The lack of cheerfulness and talk was breaking him inside out. This wasn’t his best friend. Will was back to his empty shell that he left years ago.

The blond munched on the food as they both finished their drinks. After he discarded the plate, Nico laid them both down, eyes trained on the ceiling where the glow in the dark stars lightly shone in the dimmed room.

“What do I do, Nico?”, Will’s voice cut through the silence. It was small and broken and just barely above a whisper. Nico hated it.

He licked his lips. “Did you find out how it happened?”, he asked as he tilted his head so that he could stare at the other man. Will’s eyes were already on him.

Will gave a slow nod, “I did. Apparently, Michael, the...the s-soulmate, he was drunk and his friends dared him to kiss the ‘hottest’ person in the room. Dakota said that he didn’t know what happened, one minute he was standing there and the other he was being kissed by someone. And as the guy pulled away he...he saw…”

Nico’s features turned sympathetic as he opened his arms, “Come over here.”

Will didn’t need to be told twice. He quickly shuffled over, his arms immediately wrapping around Nico’s waist as he buried his head into his chest. Nico tucked him in close, his lungs being filled by the sweet smell of honey, guilt eating him up for enjoying the moment, and the flutter his heart gave at the proximity.

“We fought. A lot”, Will mumbled, “I was just so angry, Death Boy. I don’t know what came over me. I shouted and screamed and I…”, he stopped, leaned away a bit, “It just hurts. So much.”

Nico cupped his cheek, brushed the silent tears away. “I know. It’s okay to hurt.”

Will hugged him again. Nico’s hands ran across his back in slow motions, up and down. 

“Always me. It’s always me. Why can’t I be the one who gets the happy ending for a change?”, Will whispered angrily.

And Nico wanted to give him that. Give him a happy ending. Lean down in right that moment, claim those plush lips and tell him how much he truly loved him. How he was never ever going to hurt him and how he was going to be there for him like all those years. Hold him close and whisper all of the things he thought of him. Comfort him and soothe his doubts. Love him in a way he was supposed to be loved.

He wanted all of that. His heart ached for his best friend, his soulmate. But, once again, fear got the better of him as it coiled it’s tendrils around his mind and told him no. Told him how he wasn’t good enough and how he wasn’t what Will wanted. What Will needed. 

Instead, he just held him that much closer and that much tighter as he buried his face into the blond curls. “You’ll get it”, he whispered into the blond’s ear as Will tangled their legs together, “I swear to God, Will, you’ll get it. And I’ll be there every step of the way.”

“Thank you”, Will choked out. 

And Nico would be damned if he didn’t plan on holding onto his word. Will’s happiness was all that mattered.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh-oh

The body pressed against his, close. Warm and soft yet holding onto his wait so tightly, the grip on the back of his shirt so strong that Will was afraid of it ripping. His head was tucked under his best friend’s chin, his face resting in the crook of his neck, his nose filling with the faint smell of pomegranates and mint. 

It felt so hard to breathe. Intoxicating, suffocating, overwhelming. Will tried to stop himself from inhaling deeply for God knows what time that night but he was fighting a losing battle once again. His chest expanded, filled with the smell, soothed him and made him feel guilty all at the same time. 

He wasn’t able to sleep that night. With everything that went down hours ago being replayed in his head over and over again, making him sick and forcing tears to gather in his eyes, and Nico being so close and holding him it was impossible to. Hours passed and Will allowed himself to lean just the tiniest bit back and immediately regretted his decision as his heart skipped a beat. 

Nico was sound asleep, eyes closed, long dark lashes fanning over his slightly flushed cheeks. Porcelain like skin looking delicate in the dimmed light, dark hair that escaped his bun spilling all over and only making him look more dreamlike. His pink lips were slightly parted as he breathed evenly in and out. He smacked them. Once. Twice. Nico’s arm started shifting until he latched more firmly onto Will and brought him back in again, their legs tangled and chest pressed together leaving no room for Will to move again. 

Will closed his eyes and balled his fists in an attempt to stop the tears from falling again. He hated how his heart was beating faster now and how his palms got sweaty, how he was both excited and terrified of everything, how his blood got pumped up with adrenaline, and froze in fear at the same time. 

It was getting too much way too fast and Will couldn’t keep up and then the sound of his heart got louder and he was far too aware of the sound of Nico’s breathing and the feeling of his heart that was steadily beating against Will’s chest and Dakota’s words started ringing in his ears and he wanted to burst out crying because he just couldn’t take it anymore.

~~~~  
“Y-you...I t-thought...I-I thought that you loved me”, Will stuttered as fat tears rolled down his cheeks despite himself.

His boyfriend...His ex-boyfriend stood there in front of him, stone cold. Dakota’s face was emotionless, a dark shadow falling across it. His hair was mussed up and greasy, the curls he loved so much all over the place indicating that the man was tugging on it in his frustration. His lips, so painfully markless now, were drawn into a thin line as he stared at Will with an expression he never expected to see. He looked so indifferent, so bored, so fed up with everything. Will’s heart ached even more because of it. He was falling apart right then and there and the man he loved so much was treating him like a stranger.

After a long beat of silence, Will was finally graced by a response. He wished that Dakota never opened his mouth because it hurt more than receiving none. He doesn’t know if it was because he knew that the words were true or because he was still trying to live in the perfect world he built for himself but it hurt like a bitch and he wished for nothing more than to forget them.

“Will, I did and I do. I really do love you just like you love me but we do not love each other in a proper way”, Dakota sighed. He dropped down on the floor as if his knees gave out and he was far too tired to even try and stay up. Will followed suit, his knees heavily thumping against the ground as he fisted the fuzzy carpet and bit his lip to keep the tears at bay.

The other man ran a shaky hand through his hair before blue eyes met bluer ones. “I care about you Will, I really do but Michael...”, the name bit his heart, made it hurt twice as much. Just the way that Dakota said it, the fondness that was already seeping in it, made it unbearable. 

“It was just so different. That single kiss we shared felt so relieving. It felt..It felt as if it was meant to be and it wasn’t just my soulinjuries healing.” That was right, Dakota had his fair share of soulinjuries as well. It wasn't as bad as Nico but it was still a good amount. More than Will in any case. 

“Just talking to him today felt so good. It felt as if I found a long lost friend and I…”, he stopped, his eyes focusing back on Will after staring off into the distance. The small smile that appeared seconds ago dropped. “I’m sorry, Will. I really am. I never meant for something like this to happen. I didn’t mean to…”

“You didn’t mean to what?!”, Will cut in, poison dripping from his words as angry bitterness took hold of his heart. He clutched on the carpet with one hand while the other one came up to his heart. “You didn’t mean to break my heart? Use me and get rid of me the minute a better offer came up? You didn’t mean to spend years on a relationship only to break it off after a day with someone else? You didn’t mean to replace me as if I am just a meaningless object?”

“I am not replacing you!”, Dakota defended as he too got angry, “He’s my soulmate, Will! You out of all people should understand!” 

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?!” His blood was boiling. He no longer could help the tears that stained his cheeks again.

“You know exactly what it means! As if you wouldn’t do the same if the opportunity struck!”, he mocked. Will hated how right he actually was. “As if you wouldn’t turn around and leave me.”

“I wouldn’t do it as if you never meant anything!”, he threw his hands before dropping them back down, his shoulders slumping in defeat as he whispered, “How could you do this, Dakota? You promised that you won’t hurt me.”

He could hear some shuffling. Dakota approached closer, sitting at the arms-length away but he stopped there, too scared to reach out and touch him or, perhaps, too disgusted. 

“I didn’t mean to hurt you, Will. I really didn’t. Can’t you put yourself into my shoes?”

“How? I’m not the one who found his soulmate and broke up with my boyfriend to be with him”, he scoffed. The anger was starting to build back up.

“Yeah? Well, you also weren’t the one who had to watch your boyfriend flirt and be closer to his best friend than with you. You weren’t the one who watched as the said best friend threw lovesick glances at your boyfriend while you were unable to do anything. You weren’t the one who had to accept the fact that your boyfriend will never be able to love you as much as he loves his best friend!”

The words froze WIll. Blue eyes went wide and all of the anger that started to build up immediately disappeared as his blood chilled. He stared at the floor, lips unmoving as he processed the information. He couldn’t believe it. He shouldn’t believe it. He refused to believe it.

“What are you talking about?”, he accused, eyebrows drawn together as if trying to solve the world's hardest puzzle. The answer was obvious, though. And Will knew that.

“Don’t act stupid”, it was Dakota’s turn to scoff at him, his expression becoming borderline amused, “You’re not that good at hiding it and di Angelo is even worse.”

Upon Will’s confused expression, Dakota’s face slackened in shock. The man blinked, swallowed hard then started hesitantly. “Don’t tell me...Will, you can’t possibly be that surprised. You must have noticed.”

And Will did. Will noticed it far too much actually. He knew he was too flirty. He knew that he was far too fond of his best friend. Will knew that it wasn’t okay for his heart to skip a beat every time Nico entered a room or to be so acutely aware of him whenever they were in the same breathing space. He knew that they were too touchy and too chummy. Too close and too dependent on each other. 

He knew that sometimes his gaze would turn too soft and that his mind would wander in the wrong direction but every time he would force it back on track and remind it that Nico was his best friend and nothing more, nothing less. 

Will didn’t let himself think about it. He would take those thoughts and stash them back away in the depths of his mind, into a dark box locked with a key that was thrown away and never to be found again. Will knew but he refused to believe it. He couldn’t have those kinds of feelings for his best friend.

Act stupid, his mind screamed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about”, he said, voice hard and strained. 

Dakota snorted, “As if. You’re too easy to read. Admit it. You love Nico far more than you love me. You’re probably going to go straight to him afterward.”

“Shut up. I do not love Nico like that”, he gritted out.

“Bullshit! You’re going to go there and cry in his arms as he hugs you and tells you that everything will be okay”, Dakota continued. The truth behind the words and the bitterness with which they were said, they stung Will’s heart worse than when Dakota admitted to finding his soulmate. 

“Shut up”, he couldn't take it. 

“And he won’t even complain because he’s such a weakling that he'll take anything he can get from you and you're willing to give him everything.” 

“I said, shut up!” He jumped to his feet, his chest heaving. He pointed a finger at Dakota, “Don’t drag Nico into this. This is between you and me. He did nothing.”

“Nothing?!”, he was standing too, equally as mad if the angry look in his eyes was anything to go by, “He has been standing between us from day one and you know it! But it doesn't matter now anymore.”

The realization dawned on Will. It really didn’t matter anymore. They were already over and the fight was turning petty and instead of resolving it in a peaceful way both of them ended up more hurt than intended. There was no use in continuing it anymore. 

Will grabbed his phone from the table and pocketed it before moving for the door. A hand on his wrist stopped him. He swiftly turned around and yanked it back, cradled it close to his chest. 

“Don’t fucking touch me.”

“Where are you going?”, Dakota countered.

“Away. Why does it matter to you?”

“Bet you’re going to that wimp, aren’t you?”

“Stop mentioning him!”, he yelled, “Things are over Dakota and I…”, he slumped once again, finally feeling just how exhausted and hurt he really is, “I need time for myself and away from you. I..I’ll talk to you later...Yeah. Later.”

He didn’t wait for a response as he ran out of the apartment, tears blurring his vision.

~~~~  
Will quickly detached himself from Nico and stumbled out of the room and towards the bathroom. The sun was only starting to rise but he couldn’t bear to stay in the same room as his best friend, couldn’t bear being so close to him, breathing the same air and feeling every bit of him. 

He didn’t want to think about Dakota’s words. Nico and he were just friends, period. Will couldn’t allow his heart to even think about or even hope for anything more. It was wrong. It was wrong. Wrongwrongwrong.

He shook his head, gripped onto it with his hands as he sunk on the bathroom floor. He shouldn’t think about it. Not then, not ever. Nico was already suffering so much because of his soulmate and Will just got dumped and it was silly, ridiculous, insane. He shouldn’t, shouldn’t, shouldn’t.

After forcing himself through a quick shower, Will went about to make some breakfast, a sign of thank you to both Nico and Hazel for taking him in but also a distraction. He let his mind go blank as his curls dried and the bacon sizzled. It felt nice to do something mundane. He let his body go on autopilot. Scrambling the eggs, frying the bacon, brewing the coffee.

The siblings slowly woke up accompanied by Cerberus who immediately nosed his legs, begging for food. Will chuckled but he was far too weak. The dog was rewarded by some nicely prepared bacon and Will by his best friend’s amused glare. The dark-haired man plopped into an unoccupied chair, hair mussed up from sleep as he rubbed his eyes. Will sat down next to him, ignoring the pit that opened in his stomach.

“Did you manage to get any sleep?”, Nico asked as he bumped his knee against Will’s and eyed the dark bags underneath his eyes.

Will refused to meet his gaze as he stabbed the eggs. “I did.”

“Lies.”

“Then why did you ask?”, he challenged. 

Nico shrugged, “Wanted to see how you’ll react.”

Hazel’s voice interrupted them before it could get any more heated, “Are you coming to work today, Willy?”

Will lowered his fork. He bit his lip and wrung his hands before shaking his head. “I-I can’t. I have to figure out so much stuff. Oh, God…”, the whole reality crashed down on him, “Nico, where will I live? We shared an apartment. I can’t stay there. Oh, God, I have to find a new place now.”

It completely slipped his mind as to how much Dakota was actually involved in his life. They lived together for fuck’s sake. Dakota wasn’t one of his usual flings. That was something real and concrete and with their relationship going down so did a million other things. 

His hands started to shake, the weight on his shoulders only increasing the more he thought about the whole situation. A pale hand grasped his, gave a firm squeeze, brought him back. 

“We’ll figure it out, Sunshine”, Nico promised, a calm and reassuring smile resting on his face. 

And Will? Will believed him. He always did. Cause Nico never lied to him.

They managed to find a shitty dorm room for Will to occupy for the undetermined amount of time. Together with Lou and Cecil they’ve successfully packed all of Will’s stuff in record time and moved it away. All the while, Will had minimal interactions with Dakota, Nico offering to take care of that part. Reluctantly, Will agreed and even though Nico didn’t comment on it he could tell that it was far from pleasant. After inhabiting Nico’s place for a week, Will settled into his room that was almost as shitty as he felt.

“Are you sure that you’ll be fine on your own?”, Nico worried as he eyed the room, setting the last box down on the floor.

Will smiled down at him, flung an arm over his shoulder as he ruffled his hair, “Don’t worry, Death Boy. It’s not as bad as it looks.”

He lied. 

It was worn out, the paint peeling in most places. The walls were paper-thin, giving him perfect insight into his neighbor’s sex life, much to his unfortune. It was stuffy, crampy, and dark and overall a basic broke college student dorm room. The shared showers and the kitchen weren't much better either but he knew that his wallet couldn’t handle anything else. The shared room he had with Leo during his first year was much more comfortable.

Nico, sweet, caring Nico, went out of his way to make sure that Will was okay. He texted and called more often than usual which was already a lot. He even went with Will when he decided that it was about time that he told his family. Held his hand as he shamefully confessed that his boyfriend has found his person and that he was left alone again. 

Austin patted his shoulder with an open offer for a talk if Will felt like it. Kayla tried to cheer him up in her own, rough way by punching him in the arm and offering to shoot Dakota down. His parents held him and if he cried on his dad’s shoulder they didn’t mention it. They even visited Nico’s parents who were more than happy to take them in for dinner and a good chat.

Nico would also visit Hestia’s as often as he could, too. Like then, entering the small coffee shop, a bashful smile on his face as he waved at Will and shrugged his backpack off before taking a seat.

Will wasted no time before preparing Nico’s usual, a small smile tilting his lips up despite himself, mood already lifting. He hated how his best friend brought that reaction out of him, these days even more often than usual.

“Break time”, he called out to Hazel. 

She rolled her golden eyes as she continued serving her customers, “I know, I know. Tell my brother that I need to talk to him before he leaves.”

“Will do”, he mumbled as he carried a tray with both his and Nico’s orders.

“Hey, Death Boy”, he greeted as he sat across from him, the tray resting between them.

Nico slammed his notebook shut which immediately piqued Will’s interest. Pale cheeks darkened a bit, “Hi. How’s everything going?”

“As usual”, he shrugged as he started peeling the wrap around his muffin.

“Nice. You’ve already been to your classes, right?” He fiddled with his shirt sleeves, puffed out his cheeks. If Will didn’t know any better, he’d say that his best friend was nervous.

“Yep. All morning ones today”, he sighed, deciding to ignore the strange behavior for the moment being.

Nico nodded. He dropped his sleeve and grabbed his overly sugary coffee instead. Definitely nervous then. “That’s good. And how have you been doing?” 

Okay, that wouldn’t do. Will snorted, “Really, Nico?” He raised an unimpressed eyebrow at him.

The man in question froze, “What?”

“You ask me the same thing every day, plus you’re acting so weird. Seriously, dude? What’s up with all of the nervous energy?”

Dark eyes widened as Nico’s cheeks tinged pink. “N-nervous? What?”, he laughed awkwardly, “I’m not nervous.”

Will just stared at him for some time more. Out of all of the things that Nico could do, lying to Will wasn’t one of them. Blue eyes held dark ones’ gaze for a beat longer until Nico sighed, dropped his hands into his lap, and puffed out his cheeks once again reminding Will of the small, shy boy he got to know all those years ago.

Still looks cute, Will mused. His body stilled. Where did that come from? 

“Well, there’s actually something that I’ve been meaning to ask you”, he started as he tucked a strand of hair behind his ear, his multiple piercing shining in the cafe’s light.

Will swallowed hard. Did he notice him staring recently? He swears that he wasn’t doing it on purpose, Nico just looked...healthier? Happier? Will couldn’t put his finger as to how exactly Nico looked but it was a good look on him and sue him for having eyes and appreciating his best friend looking better than usual.

“Yeah? Shoot, then”, he prayed that his voice didn’t sound strained.

Nico bit his lip for a second, the lip piercing getting caught between his teeth. Will pinched himself, his cheeks heating up as he hurriedly averted his gaze back to his best friend’s eyes.

“My project. I know that you’re going through stuff and I don’t want to put unnecessary pressure on you but I was wondering if we could talk about it. That is if you still want to do it. You don’t have to! I totally get it if you want to drop out. I can always ask someone else, it’s not a big deal and I don’t want…”

“Death Boy”, Will laughed as he interrupted the rambling. Not that he didn’t enjoy it. Nico rarely rambled like that and it was always an amusing sight but he needed to put a stop to his obvious suffering. “Of course I still want to do it. It’s been weeks and I’m doing better. Promise.” 

Will was still hurt, that was certain, he avoided every place Dakota used to visit like a plague for the off chance of crossing his path, but he could feel his heart healing and Nico definitely helped a lot. There was no use in him avoiding going on about his life. Dakota moved on and he had to, too. Besides, spending more time with his best friend sounded good in Will’s book.

“Are you sure?”

“I’d never lie to you”, he solemnly promised. As a bit more reassurance, he flashed Nico his signature grin and that seemed to sweep all of the tension away from the other man as he too smiled.”What did you want to talk about then?”

Nico ran a hand through his bangs, took a sip of his coffee, his motions no longer stiff. “I, uh, was thinking that we could start working on the first piece next week. We can do it at my place if the art studio isn’t good.”

“Would working at the studio be easier?”, he inquired.

Nico hesitated for a bit, “Yes, but I’m fine either way.”

“Then that’s where we’re going. Just text me when and what I’m supposed to do, kay? I’ll write down when I’m free for ya.”

“Yeah, okay. Leave everything to me”, Nico agreed as he slipped him a piece of paper and a pen.

Nico did as he said and handled everything, from arranging the meetings to setting everything up. All Will had to do was show up and be still for hours. The theme he picked for the entire project has been the divine. He blushed, deep, and dark when he explained to Will what he had in mind then awkwardly told him that he could strip down whenever he felt ready. 

Will didn’t see any issue at first but when he was all set and ready for Nico to start that’s when it hit him. He was to sit there, still as a statue and almost completely naked with some flimsy white sheet covering him as the bright lights shone from all around him, for hours as his best friend took every inch of him in. He agreed to model for fucking paintings! How didn’t it ever cross his mind?

It gave him too much room to think and, worse, stare at his best friend in return. He had to keep silent, after all. Not much else to be done. 

Will got time to take in the gentle slope of Nico’s nose and how he scrunched it up whenever he stumbled across some part or the other. He got time to admire his skillful hands as they glided across the canvas, the focused look in his eyes, the way he would huff some air at his stubborn bangs that obscured his vision far too often. 

He’d get to look as he’d puff out his cheeks in that adorable way of his, making the mark on it stand out even more so and Will would catch himself thinking about whipping that pout off his face with his own face. The blond would then put his mind to a stop and backtrack a little, remind himself that Nico is his friend and that those thoughts should never be there.

But he’d be lying if he said that those kinds of thoughts only crossed his mind once or twice. Thoughts of what would it be like if the kisses he splayed on Nico’s cheeks were splayed on his lips instead. Imagining what they would taste like and feel like. If the marks they both bared would disappear. They already got along so well, cared so much, was it really too stupid to hope for it? 

Apparently, his face would make a weird expression in those moments because Nico would stop his movements and fix him with a worried gaze.

“Everything okay? Want to take a break?”, he’d fuss. Even before Will would manage to answer, he would be halfway to him, a water bottle in hand and a worried crease between his dark eyebrows.

“No, no. Everything is okay, just zoned out”, Will would laugh awkwardly. But it would be too late and Nico could not be persuaded into continuing without Will taking a breather.

They’d sit side by side as they ate the food one of them brought with. Will would avoid Nico’s gaze at all costs and try to ignore the way his bare knee brushed Nico’s clothed one and the way his best friend would lean just the slightest bit towards him, the smell of mint burning faintly in his nose. 

Will would try to ignore the way his heart would skip a beat when Nico’s hand brushed his as he passed the water bottle to him and the way the excited butterflies would flutter in his chest at the small smiles he’d receive whenever he cracked one stupid joke or the other in an attempt to loosen the tension that filled his body. 

He started paying attention to the stuff he usually brushed off as just something that made Nico, Nico except that now it was all so endearing and adorable and eye-catching and he couldn’t help but notice how Nico’s eyes would shine whenever he laughed at something particularly funny. How he looked adorable in the clothes he stole from Will, sweater paws and all. How his heart would grow bigger at the sight and something possessive would creep in, wanting to shield and cherish it on his own, without any prying eyes.

Weeks passed with them working together and with that Will’s feelings became a bigger mess. Even the faintest of touches made his skin tingle. Every bit of attention made heat crawl up his neck and into his cheeks. He started walking into walls every time Nico would enter a room and getting lost mid-sentence as he’d admire one thing or another about his best friend.

But he shouldn’t. He shouldn’t, shouldn’t, shouldn’t. He shouldn’t be feeling like this towards Nico. Not when the man in question was there for Will his whole life. Not when he knew him better than he knew himself which meant knowing that Nico would not like that at all. Meant knowing how much Nico was hung up over his soulmate. How Nico was waiting for his soulmate.

He had to put a stop to it so Will saw only one solution.

“You want to go clubbing? After weeks of ignoring my invites?”, Cecil questioned as the two walked across campus. He stopped mid-step. It was getting colder and colder outside, harsh October air brushing their exposed cheeks as they waved through the fallen leaves that covered their path.

“Yeah”, Will shrugged in an attempt of seeming nonchalant. He was probably failing miserably but all he could do was fix his beanie and smile at his friend who was yet to move from his spot. “It’s been too long. Dakota moved on and I’m ready to do so too. I need to get myself out there, ya know?”

“So, what you’re saying is that you want a hookup?”, Cecil looked like he finally managed to snap out of it as he fell in step with Will. The pleased smirk on his face was making Will’s skin crawl with irritation.

An image of Nico crossed his mind. “Sure, you can put it like that”, he rolled his eyes, pink Doc Martens scraping the pavement as he avoided his friend’s curious gaze. “Can’t let myself rot in self-pity for an eternity. How else am I supposed to find the one?”, he joked. 

Cecil seemingly bought his lousy excuse as he nodded. A heavy arm settled around Will’s shoulders, making him stumble. “You’ve got it, bro. Let’s get sloshed, huh?”

And that’s how Will’s search for...something started. Sometimes everyone would join him, sometimes it was just him and Cecil and sometimes Will went alone. He would go out, meet people, share a dance, a drink, an intoxicated kiss here and there, and yet nobody seemed to click. He’d put on his best sway and flirtatious smirks. Approach people left and right, allowing anything. from stolen kisses to wandering hands. Let himself be led into dark corners or stranger’s beds, and all of that in an attempt at...at forgetting his feelings for Nico...

It didn't work well, though. Every time he’d find guilt crawling up his throat, disgust with himself eating him up as he refused to meet his own gaze in the mirror and face the consequences of his actions. He’d pretend that he didn’t imagine a pale body and dark hair the entire time. That he didn’t imagine the smell of pomegranates and mint. Dark eyes and shy smiles. It was wrong. Wrongwrongwrong.

Nico’s eyes didn’t shine the way they used to, Will pretended that he didn’t notice. He’d see how he stopped wearing anything but hoodies again and how he seemed more exhausted than usual, he pretended not to notice. How the bruises were there again and how sad he looked as he assured Will that everything was okay, lies pilling from his mouth so effortlessly. Will pretended not to notice.

“Everything is okay, Sunshine. Don’t worry about it”, he’d smile the way he always did when Will would ask. The smile was tight and it didn’t reach his eyes and made Will’s heart hurt because he wanted Nico to smile at him the way he used to some time ago, wide and genuine and warm, warm, warm. But he didn’t know how to make it happen.

“If you say so”, he’d pat his shoulder instead but the pit in his stomach would open up even more. And all he felt was...guilt? 

There was nothing to feel guilty about, though. Nico was fine and he was fine and everything was fine and soon he’d find someone and everything would be perfect. Right? 

Right?!

...right.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...don't kill me
> 
> Also, sorry for being a day late. I wanted to post but then some stuff happened and it slipped my mind

The sound of his phone ringing was what woke up Nico that morning. He didn’t even hear it the first time around. The second time around he decided to ignore it. When it started ringing the third time he actually picked it up.

“What?”, he snapped, dark eyes blinking rapidly in an attempt to stay awake as annoyance coursed through his veins. 

An all too familiar voice spoke on the other end, “Nico? Everything okay?”

He felt as if a fresh bucket of ice-cold water poured over him. “Mrs. Solace?”, he quickly checked his phone and sure enough it was her number. Nico audibly gulped before bringing the phone back to his ear, “Erm, good morning, Mrs. Solace.”

She tsked at him, “Naomi, dear. I told you a million times before, didn’t I?” There was no annoyance in her voice, just fond amusement.

He cleared his throat, lifted himself a bit despite most of his body still being tangled in the messy sheets. “Sorry. Did you need something?”, he couldn’t help but wince at his own awkwardness. A man would think that after basically growing up in their house Nico would be more comfortable with the woman but, unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. He still felt like the shy kid who came in the too-bright house with wide eyes and clumsy hellos. 

“I-Yeah, but is everything okay? Did I interrupt you?”, she fussed, just like always.

“No, no. Everything is okay. I wasn’t doing anything in particular.”

She was quiet for a brief moment, “I woke you up, didn’t I?”

A guilty smile stretched his lips as he chuckled, “Maybe? It’s okay, though. I probably should’ve gotten up already. Busy day ahead, don’t want to keep Will waiting.”

“That’s why I called you”, Mrs. Solace suddenly confessed.

“Sorry, what?”

“It’s Will”, she hesitated, “What is going on with him?”

A million images flashed in front of Nico’s eyes. Will, sad and beaten down after a breakup. Will, getting better and smiling more as they went to the movies and ordered takeout at Nico’s place. Will, modeling for his paintings, all pretty with a hint of amusement shining in his blue, blue eyes. Will, inviting him to go out over and over again then coming for the sitting the next day hungover with bruises on his neck and chest. Will, who’s light started to go down again and who stopped smiling so brightly. Who was failed by Nico once again. 

Nico gulped, color draining from his cheeks, voice sounding strained, “I’m not sure that I know what you mean, Mrs-I mean, Naomi.”

“He hasn’t been talking to anyone in the family at all in weeks, Nico. He doesn’t answer our calls and barely responds to our texts and even then it’s just vague and short. I’m getting worried. What is happening to him?” 

Guilt ate Nico out as he listened to her worried voice that sounded close to crying. He himself felt like crying over it but he couldn’t let that show. He had to be strong. For himself. For her. For Will. 

His voice was robotic, no emotions at all as he uttered his next words. “Everything is okay, you don’t need to worry. I see him almost every day, he’s just busy with school and helping me with mine, ya know? Promise to tell him to call you, though. I’m sure that he didn’t mean to worry everyone so much. He can be an idiot at times”, the last sentence dripped with honesty. Will really could be an idiot at times.

A pregnant silence followed during which Nico busied himself by playing with the ring on his finger, watching it as it twisted and shone under the small bits of light that managed to pass through his thick curtains. 

“He really can, can’t he”, Naom said absentmindedly, “He’s such a stubborn boy, don’t you think?”

“Trust me, I know that the best”, he snorted, the ring now lying motionless on his finger. 

“So stubborn”, she continued, “that he fails to see how he can hurt the people that love him the most.” 

Blood chilled in Nico’s veins. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, “Y-yeah, he does.”

She clicked her tongue, “Why don’t you tell him?” Nico knew what she meant.

He should’ve expected it, really. She was always observant after all. That didn’t mean that Nico didn’t feel panic creeping up his neck. His reply was rough yet quiet, “I can’t.”

A heavy sigh escaped her. “Such a stubborn boy”, she repeated.

“I’m sorry”, he stuttered out. 

“What for?”, she chuckled, “The only person you should be apologizing to is yourself. If anything, I’m sorry to disrupt your sleep but mother’s concern…”

“It’s okay”, he reassured, “I don’t mind. As I said, I needed to get up anyway.”

“Glad I could help then. And please, do visit sometimes, yeah? We miss having you around. You’re family just as much as all of my children.”

Nico’s heart warmed up instantly at the words, he couldn’t help the small upward tilt that his lips did. “I’ll make sure to find some time soon. Say hi to everyone for me, will you?”

“No problem. Take care, dear”, she said before hanging up.

Nico groaned as he flopped onto his back, his phone falling out of his hand and immediately wincing at the action. Right, there was a reason as to why he chose to sleep on his stomach that night. Ever so slowly, he lifted himself back up with a swallowed hiss. He squeezed his eyes shut as he waited for the pain to subside until all he could feel was distant throbbing. 

Mrs. Solace’s call was unexpected that early in the morning but not really surprising. He was honestly expecting some kind of intervention from one of Will’s parents. He has always been close to his mum and dad and Nico knew that whenever things got rough he tended to distance himself. He did it with Nico, too, but he had the misfortune of Nico reading right through him so he couldn’t really pull that kind of shit on him as he could with everyone else. That being said, as much as Nico knew his best friend he, too, was at a loss as to what was happening with Will.

He knew stuff to some extent. It hurt him, to know what he knew, but it still wasn’t enough. For example, he knew that Will has been going out more than ever and with that, he was more reckless. He knew that Will was unhappy and tired. He knew that Will was trying to...prove something. But he didn’t know what or why so he couldn’t really help his mother either. It was easier to just lie and try and solve stuff on his own.

Nico carefully picked himself up, all of his joints aching and throbbing as he sluggishly moved towards the bathroom for a much-needed shower. The water was comfortingly warm against his skin, soothing the ache and washing the sweat that gathered through yet another restless night away.

He dutifully avoided his reflection in the full-length mirror as he redressed his wounds and tugged one of the baggiest shirts he could find on. The bruises and wounds that adored his skin were nothing but a cruel reminder of his failure and the things he deserved and he didn’t wish to see them any more than he should. It seemed like he was getting more and more without a stop, Will’s actions turning reckless and sloppy as the soulinjuries just blossomed and bloomed over the pale skin.

Nico didn’t blame him. Will probably didn’t even know that he was doing that much damage. It wasn’t his fault that Nico only fell more and more in love with him. Wasn’t his fault that he couldn’t find the courage to just spill the truth. Because why would it be? It was all Nico’s fault. His and his alone. 

A brief idea of doing just that, confessing and seeing what happens, flashed through his mind. His heart gave an excited flutter, fingers twitching with anticipation. Nico shook his head and gripped the coffee cup tighter as the bitter liquid swarmed his senses and woke him up a bit better. It was a ridiculous idea that could only end up in one way. With Nico’s heart being broken by rejection and him losing his best friend after the latter becomes disgusted by him.

There was no reason for Will to accept it. The truth. To accept that his best friend whom he knew almost his whole life was not only hopelessly in love with him but also his soulmate. To accept that he was stuck with a poor excuse of a soulmate who couldn’t even admit to being it. Nico didn’t need to bear that rejection. He already saw what happened in a situation like his. His own sister lived through it all, after all.

It seemed like Bianca’s memory resurfaced more and more recently. Memories of her last days, the weak state that she was dragged down to by her own best friend rejecting their bond and her love. The sad and broken look that never left her eyes. The everlasting longing that filled them as soulinjuries filled her skin. 

Nico’s dreams, as well as his waking hours, were filled by it. In his dreams, she’d smile at him like she used to, reassure him that everything was going to be fine and that everything that could’ve been done was already done. That it was going to be okay. Nico would wake up with tears streaming down his cheeks, wondering if she was referring to herself or...to him.

“Morning, Neeks”, Hazel greeted as she joined him at the table.

Nico snapped out of his thoughts, realizing that he had been sitting there for longer than he intended. “Morning.”

“You’re up early”, she commented, one hand coming up to rub against her eyes.

“Erm, yeah. Stuff to do and all”, he mumbled as he took his last sip of coffee.

She hummed, golden eyes fixing dark ones. “How are you feeling today?”

And that would be the ever-dreaded question. Nico knew that Hazel only meant the best but he hated making her worry so much. If he could go away and deal with everything on his own he’d do it but alas he was stuck in their small apartment, being a constant burden to his sister who was far kinder than she was supposed to be.

“I’m okay.”

“Don’t lie to me”, she deadpanned before jumping up and opening the cabinets as she went around preparing breakfast. “Do you need my help with any?”

Nico puffed out his cheeks as he slid a bit down the chair. He blew his hair away, “Could you check the one on my back? I’m not sure if I got it right.”

She set down two bowls on the table then rounded it so that she was standing behind him. “Lean a bit forward”, she instructed softly.

He nodded and did as he was told. Hazel slowly lifted his shirt up. Nico could feel gentle fingers running over the bandaged wound. He shivered at the touch as Hazel hummed behind him and before he could find it in himself to feel embarrassed she dropped the shirt back down and ran a hand through his bangs instead. 

“Seems okay to me, it’s starting to heal a bit”, she commented. Nico let her pull his head back, her fingers never leaving his hair as she scraped her nails against his scalp. “Want me to braid it for you?”

“Please?”, he smiled up at her, earning a small smile in return.

“Breakfast first”, she patted Nico’s head before leaving his side in order to fetch them the milk and the cereal.

Nico groaned, his head dropping back down as he peered at her from behind his arms. “Do I have to? I’m not really hungry”, he lied. It wasn’t that he wasn’t hungry but his stomach felt too uneasy. He didn’t want to throw everything up so not eating seemed like the best option.

“Yes”, she stated simply before dunking a bunch of cereal into his bowl. “Eat that and I’ll leave you alone.”

He glared at the offending bowl with as much hatred as he could but stubbornly grabbed the spoon despite it and poured the milk in. Cerberus lapped their legs as they ate in silence, some podcast sounding from Hazel’s phone. She loved listening to them in the morning and Nico couldn’t find it in himself to tell her to use her headphones so he just let her be, not like he minded it much.

After the breakfast was over, Hazel did as promised and braided his hair, making sure to leave enough of it out and over his face to cover the bruise that was formed against his jawline. He fingered the braid, admiring the pattern for God knows what time already.

“Thanks, Haze”, he smiled.

“You’re welcome, big brother. Leo will be coming over tonight as promised, he said that he found some movie for us to watch.”

“Low budget and obviously bad?”, he questioned as he rubbed Cerberus’ head, the dog tilting it one way and the other to get that spot just right.

Hazel snorted, “Duh, what else could he find? It’s a cheap comedy material.”

“True”, he agreed, “I’ll probably be out the entire day but I’ll come back for dinner.”

“How’s the project going?”

Nico thought back on Will, naked and bathed in white light as he patiently posed for Nico’s eyes only. “Good”, he cleared his throat, his cheeks dusting pink, “It’s going good. Still a lot left to be done but I have enough time. I think it’ll be okay.”

They’ve been working on it for months now. A short break was taken over the holidays but as soon as Nico’s college reopened they were back at it again. Nico had a variety of drawings and sketches of Will done in different kinds of materials, poses, and sizes. He loved the charcoal one he did in December, the grays and blacks working amazingly together in representing Will’s curls that Nico knew were the softest thing he ever touched. That one was one of his favorites but the ultimate favorite one was going to be the big painting he was currently working on that was still in the beginning stages and that will take the remaining amount of time to be finished. 

“I’m sure it will. You sure I can’t see any of them?”

“No, I want it to be a surprise. Not even Will saw any yet.”

“Really?”, Hazel inquired, eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

Nico smiled a bit, eyes cast down as he shuffled with his feet, “Yeah, I’m not embarrassed of them but I’m….”

“But you’re embarrassed of them”, Hazel finished as she nodded understandingly, “I get it. I’m sure that they’re beautiful.” 

“Thanks. I should head out”, he pointed towards the door, “But I’ll see you tonight.”

“You don’t want me to give you a ride?”

“It’s okay. I’ll be fine on my own”, he promised as he zipped up his jacket and slung the backpack over his shoulder. 

He gave one last wave to his sister and stepped out, the heavy door slamming shut behind him. He sighed before heading down and towards Hazel’s car. Nico missed his bike. It was now parked in his family’s garage and had been for a while now. He suffered from two minor crashes, one of which ended up with him breaking his arm and knocking himself unconscious before he was forced to abandon it. The crashes weren’t his fault, the soulbond reacted and Nico lost control. He couldn’t have that happening so sacrifices had to be made.

The campus was mostly empty, people opting to spend their time either sleeping in or hiding inside from the harsh January air. Nico didn’t mind being there during the weekend. What he did mind was how packed the entire art building was, bustling with noise as people walked in and out, working on their own projects and trying to cram as much work in during the weekend as they could.

He nodded at a couple of acquaintances he knew from some of his classes as he pushed his way up the stairs and into the room 137 where his own stuff was set up. Will wasn’t there yet, late as usual, so Nico went around, pulling the canvas and paints out in preparation. He closed the blinds as best as he could and was in the process of setting up the lights when the door flew open. 

His head snapped towards it. Will stood there, a sheepish smile on his face as he closed it with his foot and shuffled towards Nico.

“Hey, Death Boy”, he cheered with two cups clutched tightly in his hands.

Nico rolled his eyes but couldn’t help the smile that took over his face. “You’re late.”

“But, buut I bring coffee”, he gave Nico one of the cups before lowering the other and dropping the bag and the jacket he’d been carrying down. 

“Bribery will get you nowhere, Sunshine”, Nico stated but he still sipped on the coffee. It was free and one does never reject a free coffee. 

“Bribery”, Will gasped, affronted, one hand coming up to clutch on his heart as he took a step back, “How could you accuse me of such a thing?” 

Nico huffed an amused breath out, hid the smile that grew bigger behind the cup, and fixed Will with a deadpan look instead, “Shut up, you dork. And hurry up. We have a lot of work to do.”

“That eager to get me out of my clothes? All you had to do was ask, you know?”, the blond teased as he took a sip of his own drink which Nico suspected was some tea. 

Nico could feel the blush creeping up his neck as he turned around to try and hide it, “Keep telling yourself that.”

“Oh, I will”, Will mumbled, probably aiming for Nico not to hear. Nico chose not to comment on it.

Will finished off his drink then tugged his clothes off, going for the already prepared set up instead and draping everything over himself in the best way that he could. However, he obviously had no idea what he was doing so upon his pleading look Nico obediently stepped up and did everything himself. He did his best not to pay too much attention to the jealousy that flared in his gut upon seeing the bruises on Will’s otherwise perfect skin. 

It’s okay, he told himself, it’s all okay. Will has a right to do what he wants, he doesn’t owe you anything. Not his fault that you’re so pathetic. You deserve this, he’s just trying to find a way to cope. He’s just hurt.

But it was there. The jealousy, the guilt, the uneasiness that flooded his senses and made him want to throw up. Nico wanted to run out of that room. Away, away, as far away as he could from the guilt, from the hurt, from Will.

“Hey”, Will called softly, blue eyes staring at him, dripping with concern as a gentle hand rested on his own where it laid frozen on Will’s shoulder, “You good?” 

Nico swallowed the lump in his throat, his hand flying away as if Will’s touch burnt and in a way it did. Warm, gentle, soft. It hurt. “Y-yeah”, he croaked out, “All good. Sorry. We can start now.”

“Are you sure?” And Will probably knew that he was lying but he wanted Nico to tell him the truth on his own terms, not wanting to press or push, just like always. But unlike usual, Nico couldn’t tell the truth, not this time. Not this truth.

“Yeah, just a bit tired. Stayed up late to play some video games.” 

Will didn’t look like he believed him a bit but he let it drop. “You seriously need to look after yourself a bit more.”

“I know. Promise to get some rest tonight”, he lied through gritted teeth, eyes trained on the canvas that was in front of him, hands fidgeting with the brushes.

“Good. Ready to begin?”, Will asked.

“Yep.”

Nico quickly drifted away as he worked, getting into the zone and ignoring everything but the sound of music that played in his headphones and the feeling of his brushes gliding across the canvas as he did his best to capture the beauty in front of him. There was only so much he could do in order to prevent his eyes from lingering too long on the man that was on his full display right there. 

Smooth, tanned, and freckled skin popping out even more against the whiteness that surrounded him. Blue eyes looked calm and steady. Full lips, slightly parted. Gentle curls falling across his face and framing it in just the right way. Will stood proud and radiating, one arm holding the mock staff Nico managed to snatch from Leo and the other falling against his side. He looked like an angel in Nico’s eyes.

He lost a track of time fairly quickly and the only thing that gave him any indication of it was Will who suddenly dropped the staff on the floor and stepped off the platform, one hand holding fast at the fabric around his waist and the other reaching out as he approached Nico to tug the headphones off his head.

“I’m sorry but if I had to stand even for a minute more I feel like my legs would give out”, he rushed to explain.

“No, no, it’s okay. My bad for not noticing that it’s”, he glanced at his phone, dark eyes going wide upon seeing the time, “Almost 4. So sorry, Sunshine.”

“It’s okay”, Will reassured as he collapsed on the floor, back against a wall, his legs stretched out in front of him as his head fell back against it too. He groaned, “There’s food in my bag, by the way.”

Nico nodded as he quickly sorted through his brushes, “I’ll go and wash my hands first. Be back in a minute.”

Five minutes later, they were sitting side by side, shoulders, thighs, and feet touching, as they ate the food that Will brought. It was some healthy dish Will probably made himself for which Nico was more than grateful despite the fact that he couldn’t eat much.

“You know”, Nico began as he played with a piece of carrot, “Your mum called me this morning.”

Will instantly froze by his side. “She, um, she did?”, he awkwardly chuckled.

Nico eyed him, his stiff stance, the way his hand froze mid-motion food falling off the plastic fork. “Mhm, wanted to see what’s up with you. You haven’t been responding to them, apparently”, he explained.

Will’s hand dropped, he ran it over his face instead. “Yeah, I, um, I’ve been busy. School and all. You know how it is.”

“Yet you still manage to text me to complain about how bored you are”, Nico accused, trying to maintain a look of nonchalance.

Will glared at him in what was an attempt of a mock glare but it had more honesty behind it than playfulness. His next words were said in a rush with a tone of finality. “You know what I meant. I’ll call them soon, yeah?”

Nico observed him for a moment longer before his gaze dropped, “Yeah, okay. She just sounded worried, is all.”

Will didn’t say anything and Nico didn’t push. He knew when to step away and that was one of those moments. He continued playing with his food as Will slowly chewed beside him, gaze distant and lost in thought. Nico puffed out his cheeks as he tried not to focus too much on the fact that Will was mostly naked next to him, the sheet only covering his waist and nothing else. He suddenly felt a soft touch on his cheek.

“Huh?”, he flinched back. Will was tilted a bit more towards him, one arm raised and waiting mid-air. His eyes looked far too soft for Nico to take so he stared at his forehead instead. “What are you doing?”

“You have some paint on your cheek”, he whispered, arm still in position, and did he move closer, or was Nico seeing things? “Can I...?”

He gulped, willed the blush back down and leaned back in. Will was now sitting so close that Nico could feel his breath fanning across his cheek. His fingers were soft and hesitant as he wiped the paint away, slow slides up and down making Nico’s skin heat up more than was considered safe.

“Is it off yet?”, he stuttered out after some time of Will’s hand just cupping the side of his face, too scared of looking up and facing his best friend.

“Just a bit more”, Will murmured and Nico stiffly nodded. Was it getting hotter in there? Should they open a window or something? Will was now sitting closer for sure, his whole body twisting to face Nico’s better, one hand coming to rest on his knee as the other still held his overheated cheek. 

“W-Will?”

“Yeah?”, Will said, his voice just barely above a whisper.

The sentence was sitting on the tip of his tongue when the door to the room flew open. They sprung apart, Nico’s hands fling to his cheeks to try and cool them down as Will shuffled away and back to his initial place.

Someone cleared their throat. Nico’s eyes flew up only to be met by Ryan’s, a guy who shared art history with Nico as well as a painting class. Nico wouldn’t call them friends but they’ve had a couple of chats here and there, sharing notes and stuff and he could at least stand him unlike most of the other people in his classes. His eyes jumped between him and Will which made Nico look at Will, too. He instantly regretted it. 

Will’s eyes were looking everywhere, pointedly refusing to meet his or Ryan’s, hands fidgeting in his lap and it seemed like his cheeks were dusted pink, too. But he must be seeing things, right? Whatever the case might be, he was clearly uncomfortable. Nico was thinking about asking him if he was okay when Ryan’s voice, once again, stopped him.

“Am I...interrupting something?”, he started hesitantly, still standing at the doorway.

Nico’s eyes quickly snapped back to Ryan’s. He scrambled to his feet.”No, no. Of course not”, he clarified, waving his hands around far more than he deemed natural.

“Erm, o-kay. Do you mind if I talk to you for a bit Nico?”, he explained as he fully stepped in and closed the door behind himself.

Nico glanced quickly at Will who was still looking away. He shrugged, “Yeah, sure. What’s up?”, he asked as he walked closer, ending in them standing some distance from Will and a couple of feet away from each other. 

Ryan eyed Will for a bit longer before he gave his full attention to Nico. He shuffled a bit in his spot, one hand coming up to scratch his neck. “Well, I wanted to come and see how’s your project going and all.”

“Good. It’s, um, it’s going. Still, a lot to be done but I think it’ll be fine. Yours? I know that your model dropped out halfway through, that sucks.”

“Yeah, it really does. I managed to convince my friend to model for me instead so I just hope that I’ll manage to finish it on time”, he chuckled.

“I’m sure it’ll be okay.”

“Yeah, hopefully. Anyway, there’s something else I came here for?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, um”, he suddenly seemed embarrassed, hand dropping down to fidget with the other as he avoided looking Nico in the eyes, “I’ve been meaning to ask you this for a while actually but I somehow always ended up chickening out.” He bit his marked lip as he stopped to take a deep breath.

Nico sucked in a breath and held it in anticipation. He could already guess where that was going and he didn’t like it one bit. “Shoot”, he croaked out, his throat feeling tight.

The words spilled from Ryan’s lips, instantly catching both Nico’s and Will’s attention as the former felt regret and sympathy fill his body. “Are you free anytime soon to just, ya know, hang out as, um, as a date?”

“I…”, Nico stopped, closed his eyes for a brief moment and faced the already crumbled face of the other man, “I’m sorry, Ryan. You’re a great guy, really, but I’m really not into that sort of thing. I hope that you understand.” 

He gave a jerky nod, a small smile appearing on his face despite the rejection in his eyes, “Yeah, of course. All cool. Worth a shot, am I right?”

“Yeah. I, um, I’m really sorry”, he stumbled over his words, fighting to find a way to fix what he knew was irreparably broken.

“It’s okay. Don’t worry about it”, Ryan assured as he gripped the door handle, “Well, I better leave now before things get even more awkward. Good luck with your project though, I’m sure that it will look amazing.” 

“You too”, he said as the door closed behind him, and with that Ryan was gone.

Nico groaned, ran his hands over his face and held them there to scream into his palms. “Why me?”, he groaned once again.

A hand rested on his shoulder, making him flinch and look up at Will. “You good there?”, he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice but something else burned in his eyes.

He glared at him, “Peachy.”

“Why did you say no?”, Will bluntly asked next.

That made Nico backtrack. He stared at Will in confusion, the gears in his head turning as he mulled the question over. “Huh?”, he asked, oh, so eloquently.

“Why did you reject him? He seemed like a decent guy”, he explained. 

“He is”, he stated slowly, “But you know that I don’t date.”

“How else do you expect to find your soulmate? What if he was it?”, Will pressed. Why was he so persistent about it when he knew that Nico didn’t like talking about those sorts of things?

“Trust me, he’s not”, he mumbled as he went back to his work station, annoyance making his skin crawl as he already felt tired from the conversation. It wasn’t enough that Will made him go through that….moment? Was he torturing him on purpose?

“But what if he was?”, Will insisted.

“He’s not. Just drop it, Will”, he snapped, frustrated, and suddenly feeling very tired. 

Will’s mouth clamped shut for a moment as he took Nico’s angry face in. His shoulders dropped. He raised his hands in a placating gesture. “Okay, okay. No need to make a fuss about it. I was just asking. I don’t suppose that you’d like to go out tonight then? We were thinking about going to that new club to check the place out and all”, Will explained as he stood back up on the small platform, staff again in hand as he tried to fix the fabric back into place.

Nico huffed an annoyed breath as he stepped up to help him with it again. His fingers brushed over Will’s skin, soft and smooth, and there was only so much that he could do in order to prevent himself from running his hands completely over it. Once everything was back on its rightful spot, he took his position again. 

“I’ve already made plans with Hazel and Leo”, he answered the previously asked question, “I wanted to ask you to join but I guess you’d rather go with Cecil and Lou.”

Will sheepishly smiled at him, “Maybe? C’mon, you can skip one night and come with. It’s been ages since we’ve gone clubbing together.”

Nico knew that. He also knew just how often Will went. He had evidence all over his body to confirm it after all, “Sorry, Sunshine. We can hang out tomorrow or something.”

“Promise?”, his best friend smiled, all wide and charming.

“Promise”, he smiled back. “Now shut your mouth and let me work. We won’t take too long.”

They worked for around three hours more before Nico called it quits. He quickly tidied up and made sure to cover everything before Will could see the canvas. Will got dressed in the corner, away from Nico’s wandering eyes, for both of their sakes. 

“You sure that you don’t want to come with us?”, Will checked once more as they stood at the parking lot.

He tucked some of the wandering strands behind his ear, shook his head. “Yeah, I’m sure. I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah? We could go to the arcade?”

“Please”, Will squealed, pumping his hand in the air as he jumped in the spot, “It’s been years since we went together. I can’t wait to beat your ass in DDR.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure”, he teased, “I’ve been practicing with Leo.”

“Yeah?”, Will said, tone challenging and light-hearted in a way it hadn’t been in a long time. 

“Yeah”, Nico nodded, accepting the unspoken challenge.

“It’s on Death Boy.”

“Bring it on Sunshine.”

Both of them laughed and parted ways with one more promise of meeting tomorrow at the arcade at noon. The drive home was quick and uneventful but Nico’s stomach was already twisting into knots just like it started the second Will told him about going out and by the time he walked back into his apartment he was short out of breath, hands shaking and feeling light-headed. 

“What’s wrong, Neeks?”, Hazel asked as she ran to his side, her hands firmly gripping his shaking shoulders as he stared at her with unfocused eyes.

“I, um, I’m sorry”, he stuttered out, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, “Just today…”

“Shh, it’s okay”, she shushed as she led him towards the living room couch. “Just take deep breaths, yeah? Follow my lead.”

Nico did as he was told, following the steady rise and fall of Hazel’s chest as he slowly calmed down. His stomach was still uneasy but at least now he could think and breathe properly.

“Better?”, she rubbed his arms, up and down, grounding him and bringing his attention to her and her concerned eyes.

“Better”, Nico nodded, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Do you want to change first and talk later or…?”

“I’ll be back real quick.”

“Okay.”

Nico finished changing his clothes, a loose pajama in place of his jeans and a clean hoodie on, and when he went out Leo had already arrived and was happily sitting on Nico’s previous spot, a container of takeout in his hands as he lamented to Hazel about one thing or the other.

“Doom Gloom!”, he whooped, “Come, uncle Leo brought you your favorite.” Leo shook a Happy Meal box, a wide grin on his face as he patted a spot next to him.

“Thanks, Leo”, he accepted the offered box, settling next to the Latino and crossing his legs.

“No problem. Haze told me that something happened today.”

Nico played with the box, feeling embarrassed over his little fallout and panicking over nothing. “It’s nothing. Will just told me that he’s going out tonight...again, so I guess I just…”

He fell silent but Hazel picked it up immediately. “You’re scared.”

All he managed was a silent nod. The trio sat in silence for a while more. Leo was the first one who broke it, clasping Nico’s shoulder and going for a comforting smile, “It’ll be okay. Maybe nothing happens”, he said with wishfulness filling his voice.

“Maybe”, he agreed but he very well knew that that wouldn’t be the case, he just didn’t know how bad it would be.

They watched the shitty movie Leo brought, commenting on it and laughing at the bad acting and the absurdity of the whole thing as they stuffed their faces with definitely unhealthy food. Nico was genuinely having a good time, feeling a bit better, and more relaxed in comparison to a couple of hours before. The thoughts of Will and what would happen were sitting in the back end of his mind, much to his relief.

After the movie was done, Leo offered to play some Super Mario Kart with them and who were Nico and Hazel to say no. A fight erupted over who would get to play Princess Peach, ending up with Leo on the floor as Hazel victoriously sat on his back, tongue sticking out as she confirmed her choice. Begrudgingly, Leo picked Toad, and off they went. Nico, naturally, left them in the dust.

“Not fair, he basically lives on this couch. He’s attached to all of the games”, Hazel pouted as Nico beat them for the eighth time in a row.

“Don’t be a bitter loser”, he teased, knowing very well that she was right. He had an obvious advantage but he’d never be willing to admit it. Not his fault that he’d been playing video games all his life. 

“This time! This time, I’m going to get him and when I do”, Leo declared dramatically, “He will let me do his hair.” 

It was well past midnight, probably close to two in the morning. All three of them were high on the sugary snacks they ate three hours earlier and adrenaline from the game. Leo started talking nonsense, not like anything else he said usually was anything but, about an hour ago, probably starting to get delirious from the lack of sleep and was now reaching his peak. 

“I’m never letting you anywhere near my hair again”, Nico jumped a foot away from Leo, holding his hair protectively as he glared at the other. 

“Oh, c’mon. It happened once and I was just starting to learn how to braid it. Promise to do better this time.”

“No way! Grow your own hair, you idiot”, Nico hissed.

“C’mon, I mean, what are the chances of me winning?”, Leo shrugged, but the glint in his eyes was far too mischievous for Nico’s taste.

He shook his head, “Na-ah. No way, back off Satan.”

“Now that’s just mean”, Leo pouted, one finger raised as he waved it at Nico’s face.

“Don’t care. Not gonna happen. Just try and s….”, the words died in his throat as sudden pain shot through his body.

The controller uselessly fell from his hand as he yelped and crashed on the floor. For a brief second, he thought that it was over but oh, boy, how wrong he was. Immediately after it, another one followed. And another. And another. And Nico couldn’t control himself anymore as he curled up, knees touching his chest as tears of agony streamed down his face and screams escaped his parted lips. 

He felt as if he was burning alive. His skin was tingly and aching all over. Pins and prickles running over it and digging in deep. New bruises started blooming, the old ones coming back full force. The old cuts bled, new ones appeared. He could feel a trickle of blood going down his forehead but he couldn’t even move let alone wipe it away. 

“Nico! Nico! Doom Gloom, stay with me!”, Leo’s voice desperately called. 

There were hands touching his face, a soft fabric pressing into the side of it. His head was laying in Leo’s lap as he desperately tried to keep Nico awake and conscious but the pain was too strong and he just wanted to succumb himself to it, let it take him apart, and consume every bit of him. He just wanted everything to stop and if closing his eyes was the solution then he was willing to do it.

“Open your eyes, dummy!”, Leo screamed, all panicked and wide-eyed. “You have to stay awake.”

“It hurts”, he croaked as more tears spilled and more pain came.

“I know. I know, buddy. But you can do it. I know you can.” Was Leo crying, too? Why would he cry? He wasn’t in pain. No reason for him to cry.

“You can do it, Doom Gloom. Just like before, yeah? It’ll be over quickly. Hazel already went to call 911.”

911? Why would they need 911 for another one of his soulbond reactions? Nico didn’t need it. He’d be fine if he could just close his eyes and rest for a bit. He can treat the wounds later when he wakes up.

“Nico, no! Awake! Keep your eyes on me, please”, Leo cried, calloused hands coming to slap Nico’s face a bit but Nico couldn’t even feel it, not with everything else burning and aching so much. “Just a bit more. It’ll be over soon.”

Yes, yes it would. Nico was completely positive about it. It would all be over soon. 

The pain he felt was unlike anything he felt so far. Sure, there were bad days before but nothing like that one. It seemed to go on endlessly, with both Leo and Hazel being there, holding him and wiping his tears as he writhed and trashed on the floor, ignorant of everything that was going on all over his body. It hurt. Too much. He didn’t think that he could take it for long anymore. He wondered if Bianca felt that way. Nico felt sorry for her, she didn’t have friends like he did to hold her through it. Did she feel alone?

Suddenly, something lit up in his head and he forced his eyes open, pinning Leo with them and mustering all of the remaining strength he had to utter his next words. “Letters.”

Leo’s eyes widened. He shook his head. “No, no, don’t mention that.”

“You promised”, Nico reminded him.

“I did but not now. Don’t mention it now. It’s not the time”, he sobbed, hard and ugly over Nico’s fragile frame.

“Please, Leo”, he pleaded through gritted teeth, eyes now squeezed shut as he tried to stifle a scream. 

A hand squeezed his, shaky but firm, “I-I promise.”

Nico opened his eyes one more time, looked at the two people who sat by his side as they did for such a long time. He tried to smile at them but all he managed to make was an ugly grimace as he faded in and out of consciousness.

“I’m sorry”, was the last thing he said as he let out his last scream. Nico welcomed the darkness and the calmness it brought.

He wasn’t in pain anymore.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoop, here we go! Get those tissues ready y'all

Having a fun night out, dancing, and drinking in a club with the beat of the music flowing through your veins and touch of a stranger on your body was always fun. Will enjoyed it a lot. He loved the sweet taste of colorful cocktails, feeling free and relaxed as he swayed his body left and right, no thoughts of soulmates or pretty emos even remotely close to his mind.

What he didn’t love and actually hated with his whole being was hangovers and boy was he having one. His head was pounding as he blinked his eyes open. He groaned against the harsh light, one hand immediately coming up to rub his eyes and shield them from the onslaught. A couple of seconds later he gave it another go, this time opening them slowly and bracing himself for the inevitable.

Sure enough, the sun shone bright and light as Will clumsily lifted himself up into a sitting position. His bladder felt like it was going to explode and without further ado he bolted out of the dirty sheets and into the small bathroom, grateful that his bedmate actually owned her own apartment instead of having to use the dirty college bathroom. 

After relieving himself, his eyes landed on the sleeping figure as he returned to the bedroom. Saying that the girl was beautiful would be an understatement. Smooth, dark skin. Bright white hair that contrasted it so starkly. She captured everyone’s attention and when her blue eyes landed on Will the night before he felt disappointed by feeling...nothing. She was pretty, sure. A good dancer too. Damn, what those hips could do. They didn’t do much talking but he liked to think that she has a nice personality, suitable for her looks. But despite all that he still felt nothing. 

However, that didn’t mean that he was going to pass on the opportunity at spending the night with her. She was interested, for some reason, and he wasn’t going to say no to a face like that one. Will couldn’t really say that it was the best time of his life because it really wasn’t, but it was perhaps due to the fact that he was probably the drunkest he had ever been. It was an honest surprise that he even remembered the night at all. 

Good night or not, once his eyes landed on the alarm clock placed on the nightstand he realized that he overstayed his welcome and was going to be late for work...again. His eyes scanned the room but, besides his underwear, he couldn’t find any of his other clothes. Ignoring his swimming vision, he made a grab for it then quickly but quietly stormed out of the room with one last glance at the sleeping girl. What was her name again? A...something, something. It didn’t matter, Will concluded.

In his hurry, Will stumbled over a knocked off cushion laying on the floor, falling face-first onto the couch and knocking the air out of his lungs. He rubbed his head for a second, groaning as he felt his stomach toss and turn. He hoped that he wouldn’t be doing any throwing up in the car. Luckily he found the rest of his clothes strewn on the floor and couch. He tugged on his jeans and shirt, patting the pockets of his jean jacket. He nodded, satisfied by feeling his wallet in it alongside his keys but his phone was nowhere to be found. Panic started creeping in when he spotted them on the coffee table.

With a triumphant grin, Will snatched it and left the apartment. He decided to quickly text Hazel and let her know that he might be a bit later than usual that day but the smile he wore quickly fell off when he unlocked his phone. He had way over one hundred texts and missed calls. Lou, Cecil, his parents and siblings, even Nico’s, Leo, and, most of all, Hazel. The girl on her own left as many as everyone else did combine. 

His heart instantly started beating faster, color draining from his face, hangover forgotten. He couldn‘t bring himself to move, struggling to breathe, let alone to open up some of the texts. The elevator dinged and, with moves that could only be described as zombielike, he stepped out and leaned against a wall. 

That much panic and the fact that Nico’s contact name was nowhere to be found could only mean one thing. Will prayed that it wasn’t the case, that he was in the wrong and that something else, anything else, must be up. But yet his hands shook and knees felt weak as he tapped on Hazel’s contact and brought the phone up to his ear.

One ring. Two. 

“Hello?”

“H-Hazel?”, was all he managed to stutter out, his voice sounding distant and foreign even to his own ears.

“Will, where are you?”, it wasn’t Hazel who was speaking. It was Leo. The other man sounded tired and...and angry. 

Will gulped. “What’s going on?”, he asked, opting not to answer the question.

A silence that threatened to crush him was all that followed. Then a sigh, “We’re….we’re at a hospital, Will. You should probably be here, too.”

He closed his eyes, hoping that when he opens them it will all turn out to be a bad dream and he wouldn’t be standing in the dirty lobby of the old building, getting the worst news he could possibly ever get. His hopes were futile. Tears welled up in his eyes, his throat closing up. “Which one?”

“I’ll send you the location”, Leo said curtly then the line went dead. A minute later his phone notified him of a new message, the location of the hospital taunting him and making him feel sick.

He barely managed to peel himself off the wall, letting his body and brain go on autopilot as he hailed a cab and gave the directions to the driver. It looked like he wasn’t going to make it to work that day but that didn’t matter anymore. 

He didn’t remember the ride to the place nor paying the cab driver, his mind was focused on the looming building and what it meant to be there. He took a deep breath and forced his feet to move, step by step, inside and towards the reception desk. 

“Good afternoon, how may I help you?”, the lady behind it asked all kind smiles and expectant gaze.

Will licked his lips, opened his mouth, and tried to speak but the words wouldn’t come out. He tried again, “I, um...I’m here…”

He frowned at himself, huffed an annoyed breath before rushing through his next words, “Di Angelo. I’m here for di Angelo.”

“Are you family?”, she asked, hands flying over the keyboard as she stared at the screen in front of her.

“No, but I’m...”, he shook his head.

“I’m sorry, sir. Only family members are allowed to visit”, she cut him off.

“What? No, I have to…”

“He’s with us”, a voice behind him explained.

Will’s head snapped up, eyes meeting Frank’s. The big guy was awkwardly standing there, avoiding eye contact. Upon looking at him more, Will could see that his eyes were a bit red and puffy. Will averted his gaze as well, not feeling worthy to look at Frank and feeling even smaller than he already did.

“Very well, you may pass”, the nurse briskly answered before her attention went back to the screen, ignoring the two men.

“You should...You should follow me”, Frank muttered. He didn’t wait for an answer as he turned on his heel and started walking off, making Will stumble on his feet in an attempt to keep up.

Despite being tall himself, Will was still shorter than Frank which meant that he had to walk as quickly as possible in order to follow him and do his best not to trip on anything like he usually does. He suddenly rounded a corner and Will had to skid to a halt and backtrack a bit before following him into the secluded hallway. 

It was empty and quiet except for the quiet sniffling and muttering that came from all the way in the back. Will suddenly felt dread seeping in upon hearing it, alarms blaring in his head, telling him to turn the fuck around and run as far as he could if he wanted to live but despite them, his feet kept on walking, carrying him forward and towards his death row.

There, next to the last door, sat Hazel curled up against Leo’s side. Both of them had dark bags underneath their eyes which were red and poofy, their faces blotched and stained from tears. Leo’s hair was messier than usual, indicating that he was tugging at it and running his hands through far too much. Both of them were still in their PJs, Hazel wearing an oversized sweater over her’s, probably belonging to Frank. 

Upon hearing footsteps, both of them quieted down, heads lifting up. The bit of hope their eyes held disappeared as they immediately stood up. Will didn’t even manage to make it fully to them when Hazel suddenly flung herself at him, golden eyes narrowed and brimmed with tears as she held tightly onto his jacket and shook him, strong and firm, spitting words of pure anger and hatred into his shocked face.

“How dare you show your face over here after everything?”, she screamed, voice hoarse, face red, “How dare you?! Nico almost died! I held him in my arms as he bled out. I almost lost my brother!”, she screamed, louder than before, Will’s whole frame shaking from her words, tears streaming down his cheeks as he wordlessly stood there.

“Are you fucking happy?!”, she sobbed. Two hands landed on Hazel’s shoulders. Frank pulled her off, her hands releasing Will’s jacket as she collapsed against Frank’s chest, her whole body shaking and shuddering from her cries. 

“William Solace, I will never forgive you for this”, were the last words she said before Frank hauled her up and excused them but even his usually kind face seemed strained as his eyes met Will’s. 

Will just stood there, hands shaking, tears streaming down his face, guilt suffocating him. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t breathe. His worst fears were coming true, his whole world collapsing around him. The small heaven he built and managed to fool himself with in the past couple of months crumbled in front of his eyes as Hazel’s words sunk in, wrapped themselves around his brain and took over his heart. 

He wasn’t happy. He didn’t feel like he could ever be happy again. He couldn’t even remember what happiness looked like.

“Would you like to see him?”, Leo’s voice brought him back.

Will looked at him with unseeing eyes, “Huh?”

He pointed at the door behind them, “Nico. Would you like to see him?”

The blond opened his mouth but no words came out, throat feeling dry, tongue glued to the top of his mouth. He mutely nodded. 

Leo led him into the room. It was bright white and clean, just like any hospital room. Wide windows allowing lots of natural light in and overlooking a small park that was next to the hospital. It wasn’t anything special really, minus the figure hooked up on machines and lying on the single bed that was in it.

Will froze on the spot once his eyes landed on Nico. His best friend was lying there with tubes and wires coming out of him. He looked beaten down, almost every inch of his skin filled by either bruises or bandages. He was paler than usual, eyes sunken with dark circles underneath them. Black hair contrasted starkly against the whiteness of everything, pooling and spilling like ink all over the sheets. Nico looked small and fragile and Will couldn’t decide if he wanted to cry, scream, or run. 

He gulped, took a small step forward. Then another. And another. And another. And then he was standing next to Leo who was sitting on a chair next to the bed. He was holding Nico’s hand, rubbing small circles into it, careful not to touch the tube attached to it.

The small night cabinet was filled with flowers and cards as well as some of Nico’s favorite stuff like his GameBoy, sketchbook, and Mythomagic cards. Will observed it, it was easier than looking at Nico who made his heart ache and knees shake, threatening to give out.

Leo caught him staring. “They left stuff for him and went back home some time ago. Di Angelo’s were tired and Mr. di Angelo said that Persephone wasn’t feeling well. They promised to come back later, though. Your parents left, too. They didn’t want to make a crowd. Your mum was crying a lot. Lou, as well. Cecil had to take her away even before she stepped inside. She brought him those flowers.” 

Will nodded, too stunned to speak. Everyone else was there, even Lou who never liked Nico that much. He was the last one to arrive. Will hated himself. He felt disgusted and ashamed. How dare he call himself Nico’s best friend when he couldn’t even be there for him when the guy was literally dying? How dare he even stand there? 

“Hazel didn’t mean it, you know?”, Leo suddenly said.

“Meant what?”, Will asked, finally managing to get some words out.

“She’s just mad but she didn’t mean to be so harsh on you.”

“I’m not mad at her. She had a right to. Everyone does”, he shrugged.

Leo sat there for a bit, eyes distant before they met Will’s. “I have to leave now, stuff to take care of and all. Hazel will probably need me.”

He stood up, put on the jacket that laid on the floor next to the chair. “You can stay as long as you want to. They’re not sure when he’s going to wake up, though. Hopefully, in a day or two, he really lost a lot of blood.” 

Will wondered how Leo could be so calm about it but then he noted how distant his voice sounded. His movements were stiff as well, robotic even. He was clearly still in shock but he was trying to keep it together for Will. Will wished that wasn’t the case.

“Will”, Leo said, his hand landing on Will’s arm and getting his attention, “Before I go, there’s something that I need to tell you.”

He didn’t know why he suddenly felt scared but he did. Blood chilling, body freezing fear. “Shoot.”

“Nico...he….”, Leo trailed off, his hand fiddling with something as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, “He always thought that something like this might happen, that's why he…”, his mouth opened and closed a couple of time before he groaned in frustration then thrust something into Will’s chest catching him off guard.

Will looked at the crumbled envelope then back at Leo who was squeezing his eyes shut as tears streamed down his cheeks, “I can’t live with myself knowing that there was a way to prevent this from happening ever again. I don’t care that he’ll be mad at me for doing this but read it, Will. I’m begging you, read it.”

Will hesitantly licked his lips, eyes darting between the envelope and Leo who was slowly starting to shake. “Is...Is this…?”

Leo jerkily nodded, “A goodbye letter, yes.” He quickly closed the gap between them and despite the height difference grabbed Will’s shoulders, “If Nico ever, in your entire life, meant something to you, you are going to read that thing. Do you understand Will?”

His eyes were wide and teary, pupils dialed down, and bordering on a maniacal look. Will couldn't do anything else but nod. Leo stared at him for a moment more before giving a small nod, more to himself than to Will. He released his death grip, patted his pockets, nodded again, and headed for the door without another word. 

Will’s knees finally gave out. He collapsed into the chair Leo previously occupied. He kept to himself, too scared to look at Nico. The envelope laid in his lap, feeling heavier by the second, taunting him and making him feel small, small, small. 

He should read. He had to read it. Leo made it clear. Whatever was written in that letter, Will had to know. He had to know what was the last thing Nico wanted to tell him. The man was okay. Bruised up and deep asleep but still alive. His heart was still beating, strong and steady and he was still breathing and he was alive. Will should be happy about that, happy about the fact that he didn’t have to read the letter with dead Nico by his side but it felt even scarier that way. Whatever it was that Nico wanted to tell him would be out in the open and both of them would have to face the consequences. 

Will swallowed hard, shrugged out of his jacket. He already made a decision to stay for as long as needed in order to be there when Nico wakes up. Because he had to be there. He didn’t know why but he did and he’d be damned if he let Nico down again. 

He dared a glance at his best friend. Eyes closed, dark lashed fanning over his color drained cheeks. Hair looking soft, making him look ethereal. Even in a situation as miserable as that one he was still the most beautiful person Will ever saw. Gorgeous, angelic, perfect. He was still perfect and that thought used to make Will feel fuzzy and high and giddy but right then it only managed to make him feel disgusted and guilty and ashamed. 

He fiddled with the envelope again. Two words were written on the front in Nico’s familiar, neat handwriting, ‘For Will’. The thing itself was nothing special. Plain white, wrinkled all over, no doubt from Leo clutching at it as he waited for Will to finally show up.

How long were they there? How long has Nico been strapped down to that bed as people visited and cried by his side as he peacefully slept? How long has Will spent by some stranger's side while his best friend was fighting for his life? Hours probably. Hours Will spent obliviously and selfishly. 

After taking a deep breath, Will told himself to just fucking do it. Whatever it was inside that letter he had to know. He cast one more look at Nico, took his features in, sought comfort in the familiarity of them, and with that, he ripped the white paper open. 

Will didn’t know what to do after reading it but one thing was certain, he wanted to stop existing.

‘Hi, Sunshine.   
If you’re reading this then I guess the worst happened. I’m honestly still not sure what to put in this letter, yours is the last one I have left. Somehow it’s the hardest one but I guess it makes sense, you were always better at words than me. You were always better than me in general. So much better and you don’t even know it. You don’t even realize just how amazing of a person you are and I tried to tell you, to show you that but God was it hard. I was always too scared of saying or doing too much because what if you realized? What if you figured it out? Would you have run away once you found out just how much I loved you? Because I did, Will. I loved you. I loved you more than I ever loved anyone in my entire life. I loved, and I loved, and...I lost you. I lost you because I was a coward. I lost you because I was too afraid. Afraid of what you might say or how you might react, afraid of rejection, afraid of you reacting the same way Zöe did...I’m sorry, you know? I’m sorry for being a coward, a bad friend, a shitty soulmate. Because yeah, we are...well, were soulmates. I was proud to think of you as such, I hope that you’ll find it in yourself to one day be proud too. You were the best soulmate a guy could’ve ever wanted. So kind, loving, caring...perfect. You were my everything.   
I know you, Will. You will blame yourself. You will be angry and sad and you’ll have a million questions and I’m sorry that I won’t be there to hug you and tell you that everything will be okay but everything will be okay. With me out of the way, you’ll find someone who deserves such an amazing person by their side, unlike me. Someone whole and kind and someone who will treat you with love and respect you always deserved. And you deserve the entire universe, don’t ever forget that. Don’t ever settle for less.   
I’m sorry for leaving you. I’m sorry for being a bad soulmate and ruining your biggest dream. I’m sorry for not being good enough. I hope that you’ll forgive me one day, I never meant to hurt you.   
Your happiness was always my biggest goal. So please be happy. Smile that smile of yours I fell in love with, show the world just how amazing you are. Show them what they’re missing out on because a world without you is not a world I could live in. Promise me that you’ll do that, yeah? One last promise to your Death Boy?  
I’ll always be that, you know. I’ll always be yours even though you were never mine. I love you, Sunshine.  
Goodbye’

He couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe. His hands were shaking, so much so that the letter fell out of his grip and onto the cold tile floor but none of it mattered. None of it mattered because Will was falling, sinking, collapsing, and the floor that the letter was lying on caught him, made his knees ache from the impact He couldn’t see, couldn’t hear anything besides the pounding of his heart and the loud ringing in his ears.

Nico was...Nico was his soulmate. His best friend, the small boy he met when he was six, the person who almost died just a couple of hours ago was his soulmate. And he...he almost killed him. Will was the reason as to why Nico was lying there, attached to those machines, fighting for his life. Will put him there because he was selfish and afraid and…

He felt sick, bile rising up his throat as he sprung to his knees and to the nearest trash can. He retched in it, the little content his stomach had pouring out of his mouth and making him gag when none was left. That was before the fat tears started rolling down his cheeks. 

Will couldn’t help the sobs that escaped his lips no matter how much he bit on his fist or kept his mouth shut. Those cries were nothing like the ones he had when Dakota, Lacy, and many others broke up with him. That pain was not even comparable to the ones he felt before. 

It was hard to believe what he just read. Could it be that he read it wrong? That Nico got it wrong? Deep down in his heart, he knew that it was all true. Everything written in that letter was true. All of the weird looks he caught on Nico through the years. The lingering touches. The ever sad yet content eyes. It all made sense. 

He should be happy. The biggest desire, the source of his anxiety and fears for the past months, the secret little thing his heart wished for was finally proven true but he wasn’t. He wasn’t. He wasn’t. He wasn’t.

“How could you be so selfless when your own life was at stake you fucking idiot?!”, Will screamed at the sleeping figure. Nico laid, unmoving, and oblivious to the distress that Will was in, his whole frame shaking as he sobbed and sobbed and sobbed.

“I almost killed you! I could’ve killed you and you would’ve been fine with it! Because of what? Because you weren’t good enough?! Because you didn’t deserve me?! I’m the one who doesn’t deserve you! I’m the one who has been hurting you for years! The one who was selfish! I’m at blame, not you! It was never you, Nico!”

He could’ve screamed all he wanted but Nico wouldn’t hear him. Will knew that, he did, but he couldn’t help himself. He needed to get all of it out. It was too much for him to handle. Reading Nico’s words hurt like a thousand knives were impaled into his skin, ripping him open and cutting deep, deep, deep.

With shaky hands, Will pushed himself up only to turn around and punch the wall. 

It felt good. The pain. His knuckles throbbed and ached but Will continued doing it. He punched it and kicked it and he didn’t care about hurting himself because it didn't matter. He never suffered any pain anyway so a bit was only right. Nobody asked Nico if he wanted his, yet he suffered for years. That wasn’t even a fragment of what he put the other man through.

With that thought in mind, Will screamed and punched the wall again. He could feel his knuckles breaking as blood gushed out. He deserved all the pain he could get for what he did.

How could he have been so selfish? How could he have done that? Why didn’t Nico stop him? Did he think that Will could live without him? He couldn't imagine his life without Nico by his side because he...he…

Will turned around, sharp and quick, cradling the broken hand close to his chest, letting it soak his shirt with bright, red blood. With cautious steps, he approached the bed, looked at Nico’s sleeping face. His heart cried and swelled at the same time.

“If you really did die, I’d never forgive myself. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself”, he whispered, slowly and carefully, choosing each word as if it was the most important statement he was ever going to make, “I don’t think that I can live with myself even now, Death Boy.”

He sat down on the chair again, body and mind feeling tired from everything. Will felt lost as he cried by his soulmate’s bedside. He was helpless. He wanted to reach out, hold Nico’s hand, hold the man himself, but he felt unworthy of even looking at let alone touching him. 

How was he supposed to face Nico once he woke up? He didn’t know and he couldn’t find the strength to figure out an answer. 

So he sat there, broken and defeated, crying by the figure that taunted him as regret washed over him in waves making him sink deeper than ever.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> don't like...kill me, yeah?

Dying didn’t feel the way Nico thought it would. He imagined it to be less painful, cold, and a lot, lot faster. And death certainly wasn’t like he imagined. Hell, he didn’t even know what the place he was going to was supposed to look like but seeing nothing but darkness filled by distant memories and voices wasn’t it. 

He saw...a lot. His mother, the memory being fuzzy but her kind smile and loving eyes all too familiar. His father and Persephone, smiling at him and telling him that everything was going to be okay despite being sad, looking younger than they were. It was probably from the time when his mother died. Memories of Will, Hazel, Leo, the nice times they spent together, smiling and messing around as dumb kids do. 

Memories of Bianca. Those were the ones that appeared the most. Some things happened, like the time when they tried and failed to make ice cream or them lying on the bed and watching some cartoons because Bianca couldn’t do anything else. But then there were times where she just stood there and talked to him. He couldn’t recall any of it happening but yet her soft voice wouldn’t stop comforting him, soothing, calming. 

“It’s all going to be okay, il mio soldatino”, she’d say, eyes sad yet calm as she gazed at him from a couple of feet away. She’d say it like a vow, an oath, a promise.

And Nico would try to open his mouth and speak, to reach out and touch her, feel her hand in his again, make sure that she’s real and there and that it was his sister but he couldn’t move. All he could do was stand there and look at her, his heart yearning for his sister and her love and comfort and getting none of it. No matter how much he wanted it or how much he tried it was futile and he was left with the feeling of helplessness and longing.

That is exactly why he was feeling relieved when the scenery started to change. When all of the memories floated away and the darkness started to disperse. Nico finally felt his hopes getting up again, feeling as if the exit was close and he was going to move on from the limbo that he was stuck in. That that, whatever it was, was going to be gone and lost and he was finally going to get some rest.

He was wrong.

That darkness did disperse but the new one emerged. It wasn’t the same one though. No, it wasn’t endless or pitch black. It was dark, yes, but he could distinctly make out walls around him, a soft bed under him and a quiet beeping of machines. 

He blinked. Once. Twice. His eyelids felt droopy and heavy as he adjusted to the whole scenery. Nico squinted into the darkness, trying to make out anything. Another beep drew his attention. His head snapped to the right. There was a machine for sure and upon tracking its wires, he found himself to be hooked on it. 

Some of the tubes ended in his right hand which was surprising in itself but what made it even more confusing was a figure that laid next to it. He’d recognize those broad shoulders and curly head anywhere. 

Will laid motionless, one of his hands gripping onto Nico’s as if his life depended on it, dozing off in the chair, head propped up on the hospital bed that Nico was placed in. And, yes, Nico was in a hospital. That much he could make out. And if he was in the hospital then that meant...then Nico survived. 

The realization hit him like a brick. Knocked the breath out of his lungs and made his brain go into overdrive. It made no sense. He thought...he thought…he was so sure… It hurt too much. He wasn’t supposed to survive. Nobody could’ve survived that. That kind of pain, suffering, agony. It was too much. He was supposed to be dead.

Nico suddenly became aware of the pain that he was in. It wasn’t as much as he expected it to be, all of it feeling numb and tingly, probably due to some drug or medicine. Despite it, he could still feel bandages all over. He lifted his hands, fingers tracing the tight bandage over his chest and arms, on his face. He could feel a bruise on his cheek, still hurting as he poked at it which made him hiss and flinch from his own touch. 

Just as he was about to see if he could still stand up, Will started to move in his chair. At first, it was only his hand, moving and patting over the mattress where it used to lay but finding nothing. His eyebrows scrunched in confusion as he started to shift around with more determination. Finally, he huffed an annoyed breath and straightened up in his seat. 

Nico observed him as he slowly roused, moves stiff and lazy as Will slowly came back to the waking world. He rubbed his eyes, the way he always did while waking up, and stretched his arms above his head, making his shirt rise a bit up and reveal just the slightest bits of skin there. And finally, finally, his eyes cracked open, two small bits of sky shining in the moonlight and instantly connecting with Nico. 

All the movement instantly left Will, body once again going stiff as he stared and stared at Nico. The only part of him that was moving was his mouth, flapping open and closed but no sound came out. He looked confused and lost which made Nico feel the same in return. 

After a minute or two of Will trying and succeeding in imitating a fish, some sound finally left him. “N-Nico?”, he stuttered out, voice sounding weak and watery, followed by a quiet and hesitant, “You...you’re awake?”

Nico wanted to answer him, to reassure, to confirm, but his throat felt as dry as a dessert and all he managed was a pitiful sound which turned into a coughing fit. His body doubled over as it shook with each cough that left him.

Will was quick to act, the chair scraping the floor as he bolted on his feet. He came back just as quick, one arm wrapping itself around Nico as he helped him lift himself back up. Will extended his arm, offering a glass of water to the black-haired man, the other arm rubbing comforting circled into his back and soothing the ache that came after coughing. 

“Drink this for me, yeah? Just a bit though”, he said, voice just barely above a whisper and sounding so small and frail. 

Nico obligated. He was always weak to Will and his dotting. Always was and always would be. Not to mention how hearing him like that made his heart ache. He was ready to do anything only to erase the pity from his voice. 

He took greedy gulps, the cold water feeling soothing to his aching throat and immediately making him feel better. Will started to take the glass away and Nico all but chased after it which made Will let out a soft and strained chuckle. 

“Easy there. You have to take it slow. It’s not healthy for your body”, Will explained as he lowered the glass on the nightstand and sat back down again.

Nico nodded, cleared his throat, finally feeling able to speak. “Thank you”, he said. He hated how he sounded. So sickly, so fragile, so miserable. Nico felt disgusted. 

Will probably did, too, seeing as he avoided eye contact. He was looking at his lap and his fidgeting hands with a certain determination. Was Nico really that miserable of sight to make even his best friend repulsed? Probably yes because Will would never otherwise act the way he did. 

Nico averted his eyes, too, feeling too awkward to face his best friend after everything. He can’t imagine what went down while he was out. 

A pregnant silence followed. There were a million things he wanted to say, a million questions he wanted to ask but he didn't know how couldn’t find a way to. He opened and closed his mouth but came out short every time. Everything he managed to think of felt stupid or pointless or futile. 

After what seemed like an eternity of excruciating silence, Nico finally managed to stutter out.

“I-I’m sorry.” Shy, hesitant, scared. It wasn’t enough. He knew it wasn’t. But it was a start and better than nothing. 

Will’s response came quickly. Rushed, surprised, disbelieving. “What for?”

Nico shrugged, hesitancy creeping into his every move. Everything felt like too much. The bandages were uncomfortable, tight, stiff. “Everything…”, it didn’t even cover half of it but it was all his poor brain managed to come up with.

Will said nothing. After a while, Nico dared to sneak a glance at him. He was biting on his lower lip which looked raw and red as if he had been doing that a lot. He was frowning, glaring holes into a spot on the floor. He looked like a mess if Nico was honest. Clothed wrinkled, hair messy from running his hand through it. He had dark bags underneath his eyes as well, a rarity for Will. 

Regret flooded Nico. It was his fault that Will looked like that. His fault that he was a tired and broken mess. His fault that Will was sad and miserable. 

Suddenly, Will whispered, small, quiet but harsh. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Nico just stared at him, mind coming blank. “What?”

“Why didn’t you tell me, Nico?”, he asked, louder and clearer this time as blue eyes glared at him from behind blond curls, looking angry, harsh but so, so hurt. He clenched his fists. The sound of paper wrinkling filled the space. Nico’s eyes snapped towards the source. 

There! In Will’s bandaged hand, unmistakable even in the dark room, wrinkled and crumbled was an envelope. Nico froze, blood instantly chilling in his veins, eyes wide, skin paling even more. There was no doubt that that envelope was the envelope. He could see that it was opened which meant that Will read its content which meant that...that Will...he knew.

His anger and betrayal made sense then but it did nothing to calm Nico’s panic nor the shaking that overtook his whole body as he stared and stared and stared. He couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, couldn’t think. Alarms blared in his head, the world spinning and zeroing in on Will’s hand and the envelope and the way it shook as Will’s chest raised and fell with labored breathing.

He took a breath. Two. Each hard and shallow, doing nothing to help and coming out stuttered. He was lost, scared, confused. That wasn’t supposed to happen. Will wasn’t supposed to read it before...He wasn’t supposed to know! 

“I-I’m sorry”, he repeated, tears brimming his eyes. Nico blinked them away. “I didn’t...You weren't supposed to…”

Will cut him off, relentless and with a bitter chuckle bordering on hysteric, “I wasn’t supposed to what? Know? Is that what you’re trying to say? I wasn’t supposed to know that my best friend was my soulmate?”

That made Nico’s mouth shut closed. He gulped, puffed out his cheeks. He glared at his lap despite the tears. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, Will”, he confessed through gritted teeth.

“Well you did”, Will spat out. The words were like poison, dripping from Will’s mouth and straight into Nico’s heart, making it shrivel and ache. Nico winced but it didn’t stop Will. “I almost killed you, Nico. Did you think that I’d be okay with finding it out after you were dead? Did you really think that I could live with myself knowing that I killed you?” 

“I didn’t…”

“Exactly, you didn’t!! You weren’t thinking at all. Good God!”, he screamed as he jumped on his feet, the chair clanking against the tiled ground as it fell. 

He gripped onto his head, knuckles turning white in his anger. He suddenly faced Nico, eyes blown wide and boring into his own, pinning him to the spot and making a shiver run down his spine. And that’s when Nico saw it. The tears that were streaming down his freckled cheeks in a steady flow. 

“How could you do this, Nico? Why didn’t you just tell me?”, he cried.

Nico felt ashamed, guilty, embarrassed. He wanted to comfort Will. Apologize for his actions. He reached a tentative hand, grabbed onto Will’s arm. 

“Will, I couldn’t”, he tried to explain but Will wouldn’t have it. He ripped his arm away, clutched on it as if he was burnt. Nico knew that he probably looked like a kicked puppy at that moment but he didn’t care. Will never reacted to Nico that way. He never pushed him away that loud and clear and rough.

“You fucking well could and you should. You should’ve told me! What did you think would happen?”, he asked, sounding like he was truly baffled by the whole thing.

“I-I-I…”, Nico started but he tripped over his own words, tongue twisting, throat closing. 

Will stopped his pacing and fell on the chair again, elbows resting on his knees and hands gripping his face as he cried. “Did you really think...”, he started slowly, as if he was picking each word as carefully as he could just to make sure that Nico would understand him loud and clear, “That I’d be ashamed? That I’d reject you? That I’d be disgusted?”

He fixed him with his gaze, eyes looking tired, brimmed red, and puffy. Nico couldn’t manage an answer. He shrugged, just barely moving his body but Will noticed. His shoulders dropped, tension leaving his body and sagging in the chair.

“Why?”, he croaked out, voice completely broken.

And Nico wanted to explain, to tell him just how much he adored him and that he couldn’t risk it, how much Will meant, how unreachable he always seemed but he couldn’t, he couldn’t, he couldn't. So what did he do? He broke down, fat tears rolling down his cheeks, letting out all of the pent up frustration that laid under the surface for years. 

“I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry”, was all he managed to sob out, violent shakes wrecking his body, making him ache even more because he was still covered with cuts and bruises and wounds. 

“I-I didn’t...you don’t deserve this”, he stuttered out, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. Please, believe me.”

He could hear Will rising from the chair. That was it, Nico thought. Will was going to get up and leave Nico behind, never look back. He was going to leave that room and forget about him and his pathetic ass. That was what he deserved so why did the thought of that hurt so much.

Little did Nico know that he was wrong. Will didn’t leave. No. Will placed himself on the bed, positioned on the edge of it as he wrapped his arms around Nico. Nico didn’t even think twice before he let his body melt against Will’s, soaking in the warmth, breathing in the familiar and comforting smell of it as he cried. 

“Don’t apologize”, Will said, voice leaving no room for argument, “You did nothing wrong, Death Boy. It’s my fault, not yours. I’m the one who should be sorry.” 

Nico shook his head, “No, no, you shouldn’t. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Will gave a bitter chuckle, “I didn’t do anything wrong? I placed you in the hospital for fucks sake. I almost killed the person I love.” The last bit was said quiet, so quietly in fact that Nico almost didn’t hear it at all.

But Nico heard it, loud and clear. His head snapped up, body leaning away from Will’s and putting some distance between them as the breath got punched out of his lungs. “Y-you what?”

A small smile graced Will’s lips. Like a secret, a hope, a dream. Embarrassed as his cheeks darkened just the slightest bit. Yet he still held eye contact as he uttered his next words. “You heard me. I’m sorry it took this long for me to say it.”

And Nico couldn’t believe- refused to believe it. Will...he loved him? “You can’t”, he protested because he didn’t know what else to do. It didn’t make sense.

“But I do”, Will pressed, confidence growing with each passing second, voice getting bolder. “I love you more than I loved anything. Why is it so hard to believe?”

Nico shook his head, too stubborn, listening but not hearing. “You can’t, Will. I’m..I’m me and you’re...you. And you don't love me. Not like that.”

Will nodded, “Yes, you’re you and you are amazing and perfect and definitely way out of my league and I’m me and me is an idiot, a dumbass, a jerk. I’m the one who doesn’t deserve you but not because you’re not good enough. You’re too good. You’re too good for me, Nico”, he whispered as he cupped Nico’s cheek.

And Nico was lost, skin tingling, blush rising, brain fuzzy. “I’m not”, he whispered but it was weak and pitiful.

“Yeah, you are”, Will shushed him.

It was said with such certainty that Nico couldn’t help himself but believe him. All through their conversation, Will held eye contact. The blue, blue focused on Nico, looking straight into his soul. The hand never moved from his cheeks, holding steady and fast and making it buzz from the gentle contact. 

However, it started to move slowly, stroking down and tracing his jaw, the other one coming up and wiping his tears with a touch so light that it made Nico shiver. Will held him as if he was something precious, threatening to break at any given moment. His eyes traced Nico’s face as well, taking every detail with eyes filled to the brim with such adoration that it made Nico avert his gaze as heat rose up his neck and over his face.

One of Will’s fingers grazed the bruise on his cheeks. Nico hissed and jerked his head back but Will’s other hand held him in place. 

Blue eyes turned apologetic. “I’m sorry”

“It’s okay”, Nico reassured, too stunned to do anything else. Will was sitting so close, touching him with such tender moves, eyes sad yet loving, loving, loving. So much so that it made Nico melt on the inside, turned him into a goo that threatened to spill all over the place.

His thumb traced Nico’s bottom lip, eyes trained on it, tongue darting out and licking his lips for just a second before disappearing again. Will looked focused and Nico couldn’t turn his gaze away as that thumb ran excruciatingly slowly over the bitten out skin, shivers running down his body in fear, anticipation, excitement. 

And so he waited...and waited..and waited. And eventually, he got tired of it, of Will’s teasing. Or was it hesitation? Whatever it was, it didn’t matter because Nico knew what he wanted and he liked to think that it was safe to assume that Will wanted it too so he took action.

He caught one of Will’s hands, the one cupping his cheek. Squeezed it softly, smiled a bit, looked him straight into eyes as he waited for Will to finally glance up. As if snapping out of a spell, Will blinked at him, slow and drowsy. 

Nico didn’t say anything, he just looked at Will with an open expression for the first time in what felt like years. Letting all of the love and care and adoration pour into it, hoping it will reassure Will, quiet down whatever demons have risen up in his head and soothe his worries.

It seemed like it worked for Will had smiled back. Small and hesitant, just a ghost of what Nico was usually graced with but even that managed to lift his spirits and brighten his world. He missed that smile, more than he was ready to admit.

Will’s eyes darted down for just a split second and Nico didn’t even notice when he had shifted closer, their faces barely three inches apart, one of Will’s hands holding the back of Nico’s neck.

“Nico?”, Will called softly. Nico only hummed in acknowledgment, eyes trained on Will’s lips, and the way they moved as he spoke. “Can I…”, he started, stopped, licked his lips, cleared his throat. His voice came out quite in the dark room where nothing but the steady beeping of the machine could be heard. 

“Can I kiss you?”

And Nico’s heart skipped a beat or two then went into overdrive. Beating, running, jumping. Excitement bubbling in his veins, buzzing through his body. Butterflies flapping their wings. He was so lost in the onslaught of emotions that he didn’t even notice that he left Will hanging until the man started to lean back a bit, his grip on Nico’s neck loosening and eyes downcast, looking dejected. 

Will’s hand darted up, held tightly onto Will’s, and kept it there. “Yes”, he breathed out, rushed, excited, exhilarated.

Will’s eyes snapped back up and there was hope shining in them. Hope, love, happiness. He nodded. Once. Twice. Shifted just a bit closer. Gripped tighter onto the back of Nico’s neck, the other hand cupping his cheek and tilting his head a bit.

It dawned on Nico that he never did anything like that before. He never kissed anyone. What was he supposed to do? What if he makes it awkward or bad or disappointing? What if Will laughs at him or makes fun of him for it? What if he ruins the thing both of them have been dreaming of for so long?

“Hey, hey, hey”, Will’s gentle voice coaxed him out of his spiraling thoughts. He smiled at him, this time wider and encouraging. He didn’t need to explain, Will knew. Will always knew. “It’s okay. Just relax”, he explained as he leaned in a bit, the distance slowly closing and giving Nico plenty of time to pull away.

Despite the steady pace that Will was setting, Nico couldn’t help but feel stiff, his body rigid as he held his breath and waited for what was to come. Will was only a breath away. Nico could feel his breath fan over his face and lips, could taste the sweetness of it, could feel Will’s lips moving against his own as he whispered another, “Relax, Death Boy.”

And just as he closed the distance, Nico did as he was told. His body instantly melted as soft lips came into contact with his own. He didn’t know what to do but then Will started to move and it was easy to follow suit, let him take charge of everything and just enjoy it.

And enjoy it he did. It wasn’t only the fact that he was finally kissing his best friend after years of pinning even though it had a lot to do with it too. His heart was beating fast, head feeling light. One of his hands darted up to hold Will’s cheek as Will tilted his head just the tiniest bit to make their lips to slot better, the other snaking around Will’s waist and pulling him closer, earning him an amused huff from the other man, making Nico annoyed that he would even dare to laugh at a moment like that one. And when Will’s hand found its way into his loose hair, twisting and pulling just the slightest bit, he couldn’t help but release a small groan, all annoyance forgotten as he drowned in the pleasure. 

And then there was the soulmate thing. Oh, the soulmate thing. It felt as if fireworks were erupting in his chest, behind his eyes. Small spark flying behind his eyelids in the brightest of colors. It felt so light, easy, right. As the first breath of fresh air after drowning for years. He felt so happy, content, giddy as all of his senses filled with Will, Will, Will.

And when he opened his eyes he was met with the prettiest of sights. Will’s eyes, squeezed closed, cheeks dusted pink, small sparks flying around them as they slowly parted ways, letting their foreheads rest together. He couldn’t help but stare as the mark that Will hated so much slowly disappeared from his lips, leaving them puffy and pink and clear, clear, clear.

Will kept his eyes closed, though. And closed. And closed. And closed. And Nico couldn’t help but nudge his cheeks with his nose, a small smile tilting his lips up as he waited for Will to finally look at him. 

“You good, Sunshine?”, he teased.

“I’m scared”, Will confessed right away, still not looking at him, his hands holding as if his life depended on it.

“Of what?”, Nico asked, confusion evident in his voice as he leaned a bit back to try and look at Will but Will quickly pulled him back so that their foreheads were pressed together again.

He rushed to explain. “Of this being a dream. Me waking up and finding you all bandaged up in that stupid bed because I put you there. Of...of the mark not disappearing despite…” 

Anid Nico’s heart fluttered with love he felt for his best friend at that moment. “It’s okay, Will”, he reassured, voice as soft as it could get, his hand stroking down Will’s face and tucking some curls behind his ear. “It’s not a dream. You can look at me.”

A second. Two. Then Will finally looked at him. Eyes uncertainly looking at him before he released a breath and relaxed a bit more. His lips slowly stretched and that full, boyish grin appeared on his face, the same one Nico fell in love with. His heart made a loud thump. Nico got scared of Will hearing it but it seemed to be okay seeing as Will just stared and stared and stared, the grin staying on.

“Hey there”, he winked, voice light and teasing.

“Hi”, Nico replied, couldn’t help but giggle a bit. 

He could still feel the aftershocks of the kiss going through his body, small zaps, and tingles that felt far too pleasant and exciting for him to care. Even the ache got lesser and it was then that it dawned on him that his soulinjuries were going to actually heal a lot faster this time. The mark was gone, his soulmate was there, he could finally fully heal. The thought alone made him smile even wider, feeling relieved, light, at ease.

A big yawn escaped him, made Will frown. “Are you tired?”

“No”, he lied followed by another one and he already knew that he was fighting a losing battle. His body felt drained after everything and despite being up for barely an hour he was ready to go back to sleep.

Will detached himself, a small frown still in place as he instructed, “You should sleep. Your body has suffered a big trauma and now with the…”, he cleared his throat, cheeks darkening as he looked away, “Anywho, you need to rest, Nico.”

“Please, no”, he whined and he was well aware that he sounded like a child who was getting his toy taken but he didn’t care.

Will, however, shook his head, stubborn as always. “Nope. Sleep.” He pushed both of his shoulders, touch gentle as to not hurt him any further. Reluctantly, Nico laid back down, a pout set on his lips and making Will chuckle.

“Don’t be so stubborn. It’s just a bit of sleep.”

He sighed but moved to settle a bit more comfortably on the bed. “Please, stay with me”, he pleaded, doing his best to throw in the puppy eyes.

“I will”, Will promised.

Nico scooted a bit on the bed, made room big enough for Will to fit, and patted it. Will eyed the spot and before he could even open his mouth to protest Nico cut him off. “Please, Sunshine.”

And all Will did was huff before climbing fully up, arms instantly wrapping themselves around Nico, tucking his head into the crook of his neck and legs tangling together. “Happy?”

“Very”, Nico sighed, fighting to keep his eyes open, only then realizing just how heavy his eyelids felt. He breathed in deep. Lemons and honey. Calming, tranquilizing .

The last thing he managed to say before drifting away was, “Don’t leave.”

He wasn’t conscious enough to hear Will’s response but one thing was certain when he woke up, Will left. The first person Nico saw was a nice nurse. She explained to him that Will came over during the night before to inform them that Nico woke up and that he left afterward. He hadn't come back since.

Nico tried not to let it show just how much it hurt him but it was futile. His spirits were crushed, heart shattered. He felt stupid for believing what Will said. For trusting him, for thinking that he could ever actually love him and stay by his side. He should’ve expected that. But yet he couldn’t help but wonder why? What went wrong? Why would he do it?

Family and friends came over to visit him once the doctors deemed it okay. Persephone and Leo cried, Hazel almost crushed him with her hugs, his dad looked happy and proud. Will’s parents stopped by briefly with some strawberry muffins, even Cecil and Lou dropped by. 

He was released two days after his first waking up. 

No trace of Will. 

Nobody spoke of him. Nobody mentioned him. Nobody dared to even bring up the missing mark from his lip for which Nico was grateful, he couldn’t bear even thinking about it let alone explaining what happened. Besides, he didn’t want anyone pitying him the way they did Bianca.

It wasn’t until he was finally back home, in his and Hazel’s small apartment, that he broke down on his sister’s shoulder, crying and sobbing as he told her everything, pouring his sadness and heartbreak onto her.

But no amount of crying helped and days passed and no sign of Will. Not a call. Not even a text.

He was gone. Radio silence.

And Nico felt worse than before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry sorry sorry, it will get better, promise


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one killed me and my beta readers so I hope y'all are ready

"All I want from you is to be there for him. Can you promise me that?”

It was asked in a small, dimly lit room by a man who looked way too tired, who put so much trust and unintentional burden on the small shoulders of the equally as small boy. It had a hint of distress, desperation, hopelessness, in it. Dark eyes bore into blue ones, two sets of mouth set in thin lines, worry clouding both of them. 

“Promise me something? That you’ll be there for him and take care of him once I’m gone.”

It was asked on a well-known porch, under the light of a nearby streetlamp by a girl with glossed out eyes and tainted skin. Asked like a plea, a hope, a prayer. She was determined as she pressed for an answer. He was just a small boy, he couldn’t have known.

“Promise you’ll keep an eye on him, yeah? I know I can trust you.”

It was asked on the day they moved out for college by a girl who wore an easy smile full of warmth and fondness as she gazed at her older brother. The words were easy, light, seemingly carrying no weight despite the weight of the world being placed in them. The boy knew the weight of it yet he couldn’t resist when he answered the same question for the third time.

“I promise.” 

It was said solemnly. A vow, a promise, an oath. Will said it and he meant it. He meant it with every inch of his being because in his head there was no possible way for him to ever hurt Nico. There was no way for him to hurt the boy who spent years by his side. He felt as if he’d rather die than break his word given to Nico’s family, to people who cared about him the most. 

Those words were now haunting Will. Day in, day out. Spinning in his mind, repeating and replaying over and over and over again. They were there when he was awake and staring into nothing and when he was asleep tossing and turning in his restlessness as nightmarish scenarios plagued his mind.

It had been 17 days since he last saw Nico. 15 days since Nico had been out of the hospital. 9 days since he stopped going to work. 3 days since he stopped appearing for classes.

Will was going insane. 

He was a coward, a failure, a shitty friend, and an even worse soulmate. 

He didn’t know what was going on in his head that night, mind feeling light and ecstatic to finally see Nico’s pretty eyes open again, body buzzing and tingling from the fact that he could touch him and Nico could touch him back, that he could hug him and feel his steady heartbeat against his chest and heated breath on his neck. 

He sat by that bed for three days straight as Nico slowly recovered. Only times he took a step back were during the doctor’s visits and when the rest of Nico’s friends and family came over. Will would step out of the room, shame burning in his cheeks and regret eating him out alive. He couldn’t even face his own parents let alone Nico’s. 

They knew. He knew that they did. Probably everyone who knew them knew...except for Will. He wondered if he would have ever figured it out on his own but he came out blank every time. He didn’t even want to fool himself and say he would because he honestly didn’t know. 

The letter Nico wrote to him laid on his nightstand. That was the only thing he took with, the cruel reminder of what could’ve been...of his failure. It taunted him, the words on the white sheet hurting more every time he read them, cutting and slicing at his heart, at his soul. He didn’t even have to read it at that point, he already knew the entire thing by heart. 

He wanted to throw it out. He wanted to do it as soon as he read it but he couldn’t. His hand would freeze and sorrow would seep in and his knees would buckle as another onslaught of tears came. 

He supposed that it was only fair. The pain that the letter inflicted was not even as big as the one he deserved but he took it readily, feeling greedy even. He deserved all the pain in the world for what he did. All the pain, all the hurt, all the suffering. No amount of it could make up for what he put Nico through, Will knew that. 

He was just barely living with himself with what he did. He took the smallest of comforts in the fact that he kissed Nico. Not for the fact that his mark was gone or that he got his most definite confirmation but for the fact that Nico would finally be able to heal fully and completely for the first time in years. With his job done, he was able to leave Nico and spare him of his presence.

His contact with other people had been cut short by his own choice. He didn’t want to make anyone uncomfortable with his presence. They were far too nice to tell him off but the judgemental looks and disgusted faces would be too much for Will to bear. 

He ignored Lou’s calls and Cecil’s texts. The same went for his family. He didn’t need to face the disappointment in his parents’ eyes. He knew what would happen. His mother would be sad, his dad angry. They raised him better after all. He should’ve known better, God damn it. 

“I’m busy”, he’d text. Short and quick. It would be followed by an onslaught of angry texts which he would ignore. 

His boss dismissed him from work herself. The second he stepped into the shop the day after he left the hospital, he requested his shift to be changed. It hurt, knowing that he’ll have to change something that worked so amazing for him but he didn’t deserve amazing nor could he face Hazel after everything that went down.

“William Solace, I will never forgive you for this”, her words echoed in his brain. Will wanted to respect that, she was right.

His movements became sloppier, clumsier, messier. A continuous string of, “I’m sorry”s, leaving his mouth as he tried to do at least something properly. It was noticeable, of course, it was. It’s as if he was learning how to use a human body properly for the first time.

He didn’t have the courage to face Hazel even in the backroom as their shifts changed. He’d grab his stuff, head bowed down, eyes trained on his feet, and run out of the shop as if he was being chased by the Grim Reaper himself. 

Hestia had enough of it.

“Will!”, she pulled him aside after he spilled the fifth coffee of that day, barely two hours into his shift.

“I-What? Yes?”, he blinked at her, completely frazzled and confused because she looked angry, and the customer was fuming, and the coffee was dripping, and his pants were getting dirty, and those were his only clean ones, and what was he supposed to do?

Hestia sighed, closed her eyes, and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Go home”, she mumbled eventually.

That snapped him out of it. “What?”, he asked. Panic, fear, worry seeping in, filling him up, threatening to burst. “Please, no. I need this job.”

She looked at him, only worry and no anger in her expression, “I know that but I’ve been getting complaints”, she explained with a sigh before straightening up and clasping his shoulder, “You’re a good kid, Will. I know that and so does everyone else. Something is clearly going on and it’s taking a big toll on you. I’m only doing this for your own good. Go home, take a break, pick yourself back up, and then come back. The spot will be waiting for you when you do, okay?” 

His shoulder sagged as he took a step back and handed her his apron back with a curt nod, trying hard not to let any tears spill right then and there. “Okay”, he whispered then ducked into the back room to pick up his stuff and leave through the backdoor.

He was running short on money already but did Will care? Kind of, but he still didn’t have his shit together and he knew that Hestia was right. He briefly wondered if the customers missed him, if anyone missed him, but decided that he actually didn’t give a damn. Why would anyone miss a person like him after all?

Classes became a hustle. Too exhausting, too confusing, too much. He couldn’t concentrate. It was as if he wasn’t there at all so staying in his room didn’t make any difference. He should probably worry about it. How was he planning to become a doctor without going to classes? How was he planning on passing his classes at all? 

All he could think about was Nico and his beaten-down body, covered in white bandages and black and blue bruises, worn out and thin, covered by the hospital sheets and lying motionlessly for days. All he could think about was Nico’s weak smile and kind words, him trying to take the blame for something he couldn't have possibly done wrong.

He could’ve done the same, hurt Will, make him feel the same pain, and make him suffer for everything that he had been doing to him for years. But did he? No, of course not. He was far too kind, far too loving, far too caring. He never even kissed anyone in order not to hurt Will. Will knew that. Nico didn’t even have to say it for Will to know it.

All of the times when Nico refused to go out with someone, when he sat out on clubbing and going out, when he shied away from the topic of soulmates and when he said that he’s waiting made sense in such a bitter way that, the first time it dawned on Will, he threw up.

Nico spared him, kept him safe, waited for him, and all of that for what? For Will to land him in a hospital.

Will gave a bitter chuckle at the thought, followed by a whine that turned into a choked sob. It seemed like that was all he was able to do those days. He rarely left the shitty room he got stuck in, only for the occasional bathroom breaks or to the wending machine down the hall.

He was a mess and he was ashamed to admit it. Skin pale, eyes sunken and ringed by dark circles, nails bitten down, hair greasy, clothes all crumbled and probably stinking from the lack of showering. He didn’t see any point in living let alone trying to maintain a look of a decent human being. 

His phone laid discarded by his head which was dangling from the edge of the bed. His back was hurting in that position, both from the uncomfortable angle and the shitty mattress he had been sleeping on for months at that point but he couldn’t force himself to move. 

It shone in the dark room. A new text or something probably. Will glanced at it for a second before looking back up at the blank wall stained by water and other stuff he dared not to question. He ignored it just like he ignored the angry rumble of his stomach. Not like he had any food there to fill it with. 

What he couldn’t ignore, however, was a sharp knock on his door. At first, he thought that it was just a figment of his imagination or some illusion produced by his sleep-deprived brain but then it repeated again, louder and sharper. He then tried to ignore it but the person behind it was stubborn and persistent and after five minutes of continuous knocking he had had enough.

With the loudest groan he could muster, Will headed for the door, an angry remark on the tip of his tongue and dying down upon seeing who it was. Blue eyes went wide as they stared at the equally blue ones, jaw going slack, and blood chilling.

Will’s dad stared at him, eyes tired as he took him. Will suddenly felt embarrassed. He could’ve at least worn a clean shirt that day or something. He anxiously tugged at the hem of it, eyes directed downwards, afraid of facing his dad.

A heavy sigh escaped the said man before Will felt a gentle touch on his shoulder. “Why don’t we go inside?”, he suggested. Calmly, gently, no trace of disgust in his voice.

Will couldn’t do anything but nod as he stepped aside and let his dad pass. He quietly closed the door but made no move to take a seat on his bed where his dad was at. He gulped as he waited for something, anything, to happen. He was probably there to yell at WIll, tell him how disappointed he was, how mad he was, how he couldn’t bear to call himself Will’s dad. 

But...none of it came. Instead, his dad sat there for some time, the silence growing and threatening to crush Will under its weight before he stood up and approached him. Will couldn’t help but flinch when he raised his arms but he only gently put them around Will, letting him drop his head into the crook of his neck as he rubbed slow circles into his back.

Will wanted to push him away, tell him to stop, and just get it over with, but he couldn’t. All he could do was stand there, arms limp as they laid against his body, unable to return the embrace.

“Mum missed you”, his dad began after some time, “She had to call Lou and ask where you are but she had no idea either. I thought that it can’t hurt to check here.”

He said nothing. He didn’t know what to say without starting to cry. He had no excuses and a million of them at the same time. 

“Let’s go home, son”, was the next thing he heard. Will didn’t have it in him to fight, to object, to refuse. 

He took a step back, gave a curt nod, and went and packed some random stuff in a backpack. He didn’t know if he even grabbed everything that he might need when he found himself buckled in the passenger's seat of his dad’s familiar car, head leaned against the window, some quiet music playing on the radio. It was probably a bad idea to just get up and leave, especially in the middle of a semester, but he wasn’t going to classes anyway so why did it even matter?

Before he knew it, Will found himself in front of the yellow house. He slowly unbuckled himself, gripped the strap of his backpack tight until his knuckles turned white, and carefully stepped out of the car. He trudged after his dad and patiently waited for him to open the front door. Not even a second after he stepped in, he was wrapped up in a warm embrace that could only belong to his mother.

Unlike his dad, who was about the same height as Will, his mum was a tiny human, just barely reaching his shoulders. Despite that, she had a grip of a bodybuilder and there was no way to escape her once she got her hands on you, something Will used to adore but only found troublesome at that moment. The hug wasn’t as comforting as it used to be nor as comfortable. It was suffocating, crushing, trapping him in his place.

She quickly let him go, hands coming up and squishing Will’s cheeks, making him look like a pufferfish and bend down in order for her to reach him properly. “Will, I’ve been worried sick. Look at you, sweetheart! Have you been sleeping at all? Or eating?”

Will only blankly stared at her. He supposed that he did lose some weight over the course of the last couple of weeks but it wasn’t anything to be too worried about and even if it was he didn’t want her to worry about it. He deserved it, she didn’t.

Upon his silence and blank expression, tears started to well in his mum’s eyes. She released him, took a step back, one hand shakily coming up to cover her mouth as she squeezed her eyes shut. It hurt Will to see her like that, anger flashing in his eyes once he realized that he made another person feel bad. Could he do anything right?

She took a deep, steadying breath before opening her eyes again. The tears were still there but she looked much more collected as she approached him again and gently took his hands into hers. She squeezed them, gentle and grounding, gave him a small smile, “How about you go and take a shower and I’ll make you something to eat?”

Will shook his head. “I’m not hungry.” That was the first thing he said out loud in...in a while. His voice was coarse, throat dry. 

“For me, sweetheart?”, she pleaded, stroked his cheek. It felt nice, warm, soft. He couldn’t say no to her once he saw the desperation in her green gaze.

“Okay”, he whispered as he headed for the stairs. The house was empty, Austin and Kayla both being away for their respective colleges. He took his time in the shower, dirty clothes lying discarded on the tiled floor where he dropped it carelessly. Most of the time he spent standing under the hot water, letting it fall and cascade over his body, wash away all the grease and filth that gathered.

His room was the same as he left it all the way back when he left the house and went off to college. The walls, bright and blue, the bed, having the same sheets with small suns. Books, strewn left and right, most of them filled by either romantic stories of soulmates or medical facts. One of Nico’s drawings was hanging on the wall and next to it an array of pictures that he stuck there over the years. Pictures featuring his parents, Austin and Kayla, Leo and Hazel, Lou and Cecil...Nico. 

It hurt to look, to remember all of the nice memories and happy times that he spent in his obliviousness as Nico suffered. Will averted his gaze and blindly grabbed some fresh clothes from the abandoned pile as droplets fell off his wet hair. It wasn’t until he was halfway back down when he noticed that he was wearing one of Nico’s hoodies.

He hesitated before grabbing a handful and lifting it up to his nose. Pomegranates, mint. Comfort, safety. It overflooded his senses, brought tears to his eyes. Made his heart skip a beat and a weight drop in his stomach at the same time. It felt so right yet so wrong at the same time. 

He didn’t deserve that. He should probably go back and change but his dad already saw him and was waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs with a worried look in his eyes so Will had to swallow down his cries, release the fabric, lift his head and follow him into the kitchen. 

Food sat at the table, warm and ready for Will to eat. It was familiar, soothing, felt nice for Will’s empty stomach. He didn’t even know just how hungry he was until he took the first bite. The flavor overflowed his senses, urged him to take more and Will obliged, eating like a starved man but all of that in silence as his parents sat, each on either side of him, and waited for Will to finish.

“Would you like some more?”, his mum asked once he cleared up the plate. Will observed it for a second before deeming himself full enough. He shook his head.

She clicked her tongue but otherwise said nothing as she got up and placed the dirty dishes into the dishwasher. His dad lowered a steaming cup of mint tea in front of him, a kind smile on his face as he took his seat again.

“I even put some honey in it”, he prompted as he nudged Will’s shoulder. 

Will didn’t want to make him feel bad by ignoring the kind gesture so he reluctantly took the warm cup. He cradled it close to his chest, legs brought up and knees pressed close together on the chair as he sipped on the once comforting beverage. He didn’t think that even an ocean of mint tea could ever make him feel better. 

He wondered why he accepted it. Why did he accept their kindness, their love? Why weren’t they furious, mad, angry, anything? Were they kind only because they wanted to wait for the perfect moment to strike? Were they going to tell him just how pathetic of an excuse of a son he actually was?

Will wouldn’t blame them. He deserved it. He deserved everything bad. 

“Son”, his father’s call brought him back. He sounded distressed, panicked, scared.

He blinked at him before he felt a gentle touch on his cheeks. His mum was looking at him with eyes so sad and broken that it made Will’s heart ache. She gently swiped her thumbs under his eyes bringing the fact that Will was crying to his attention.

“Mum, are you crying?”, he managed to croak out as he watched a tear roll down her cheek, ignoring the wetness of his own eyes.

“Oh, Will, my baby”, she cooed despite Will lifting her hands away from his face and pushing her some distance away.

A heavy hand laid on his shoulder, squeezed it, grounded him some more because God knew Will needed it. He felt as if he was losing his mind, a million thoughts circling his brain, guilt coming back with vengeance and making him feel sick. His head felt light, body shaking, and tingling as he stared at his dad with uncertain eyes, so scared and miserable.

“What happened, Will?” It was out. The dreaded question. The one thing Will feared the most. It laid there in the open, in the silent kitchen of the yellow house, in front of three people all of whom held their breaths in the anticipation of an answer. 

One question, one answer.

“I fucked up, dad”, Will choked out, voice breaking, cracking, shattering, a sob escaping his now markless lips.

Will squeezed his eyes shut, ran a hand through his still-damp hair as his dad’s arms wrapped themselves around him once again. This time, he melted in the embrace, greedily accepted it, clutched on the back of his dad’s shirt as he sobbed into his shoulder, body shaking, heart aching. 

“I fucked up so bad.”


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and the angst continues but I promise just a bit more, my dears

If Nico thought that he had been in pain before, that his heart had been broken before, that things couldn’t get worse than they already were then he didn’t know what to think of his situation then.

A month and a half. Maybe more. That’s how long it had been since he ended up in a hospital. Since he almost died. Since...since he lost his best friend. 

And he hated it. He hated the world, soulmates, Will, himself. He couldn't believe that he let something like that happen. He should’ve kept his mouth shut, pushed him away, shut him down, anything other than opening up and letting Will do what we did.

The memory of the kiss still burned fresh in his mind. The feeling of Will’s lips against his, his breath fanning his face, his taste on his tongue. His lips tingled just by the memory, making Nico stop his sparring and touch them with gentle and hesitant fingers. He knew that there’d be nothing to be found but it felt so real, so vivid…

Nico shook his head. That was enough training for the day. He quickly snatched his water bottle and towel and trudged back towards the changing room. 

His anger and frustration came back with vengeance, the same as in his teenage years, ever since he came out of the hospital. He was angry at anything and everything not knowing what to do with himself, art not helping. It was Hazel who suggested that he picked up boxing again, and he, not seeing any harm, did. It was refreshing, freeing, liberating. Punching the bag. Letting all of the energy out, imagining it was his problems and him beating them, pushing them, making them go away. He thrived off of it. 

He was starting to get better physically too. His body was getting strong again and he managed to eat more, successfully gaining some much-needed weight. He still hated it though. Couldn’t bear the sight of the scars, injuries, bandages, but he was improving and that was all that mattered. Some day he’d be able to face himself in the mirror.

After a quick shower, Nico headed back home. He was still reluctant to take his bike back. He liked to think that the risk of the soulinjuries reacting again was little to none but he couldn’t do it, fear eating him raw, making him tremble and sick with it. He stuck to borrowing Hazel’s car.

“I’m home”, he called as he entered the apartment. He dropped the bag into his room, briefly glancing at the abandoned work on the table. 

The school had been a hassle. He wasn’t able to concentrate properly, thoughts circling over what happened, making him zone out and forget where he was and what he was doing. Leo and Hazel told him to take a break until he fully recovered but he insisted that he could do it. In reality, he couldn’t, he knew as much, but he needed it, needed a distraction, and school was better than none. Struggling or not. 

His work suffered, sure, but he was doing something and that thought kept him going. The only thing he was regretting was the fact that he never managed to finish his last painting for his project. 

Nico could do it from memory, he had plenty of time to stare at Will already and by that point, he could draw him with closed eyes, but the place was empty, and there was no sun, no happiness, no brilliant smiles, and bright blue eyes. His heart would ache, hands would shake and he’d end up sitting in front of the canvas for hours until he packed everything up and left only to come back the next day to repeat the cycle. 

During those times, all he could think about were Will’s words. Repeating, ringing, echoing in his brain, making him want to cry, scream, shout.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Because you’d do this, Nico wanted to say. Because he would leave him, abandon him, throw him away.

“I wasn’t supposed to know that my best friend was my soulmate?”

No, you weren’t. Not until I was dead like I should be. 

And Nico knew that it was the wrong way to think. Cruel, mean, selfish. But he felt like that. He bound Will to him, gave him a burden which he wasn’t ready to carry, roped him down. It would’ve been easier for him to find out when Nico was gone. He would be able to move on, fall in love, be happy. 

“I almost killed the person I love.”

You don’t. You never did, and tears would stream down Nico’s face. It hurt. He felt like a fool for believing those words, for letting his heart flutter at them, eyes shining, hope rising. Will lied. He never loved Nico. Not like that. Never did and never would. 

“You’re too good. You’re too good for me, Nico.”

“I’m not. I'm not even good enough”, he’d cry out loud, not caring that someone could walk by and hear him. Not caring that he probably looked insane, crying in the middle of the art room, in front of a half-finished painting and unopened paints.

“Can I kiss you?”

It was a trick. A lie, he’d say to himself as he thought about that moment.

And deep down he knew that it wasn’t. Knew that Will meant his words, that he’d never hurt him on purpose, that he cared. That there was much more to it. Something much deeper, darker, heavier. But his brain wouldn’t even consider it…

He should’ve said no. Should’ve denied him. 

It was his fault. Hisfaulthisfaulthisfault.

Nico quickly shook his head, sighed, threw his jacket alongside his bag before trudging over to the living room where he was pretty sure he heard voices. Cerberus ran towards him, circling his legs and trying to climb up. 

“Hey, buddy”, he greeted as he crouched down, scratched his ears, and kissed his snout. “Missed you, too”, he chuckled when the dog licked his cheek.

“Hello, Nico”, a familiar voice greeted from above and Nico immediately straightened up, stumbled on his feet, eyes wide, and blood freezing.

“Mrs. Solace! Hi”, he stuttered out as he quickly walked over to the couch to shake her hand. He briefly glared at his sister who just shrugged her shoulders and continued to sip on her coffee. “What, um, what are you doing here?” He took an empty seat on the armchair, Cerberus quickly following along and laying his head in Nico’s lap, demanding more pets. Nico could never say no, hand automatically flying towards his head and petting, the feeling of the fur under his fingers calming and grounding. 

Mrs. Solace took her seat again and shook her head with a fond smile, “Naomi, dear. How many times dol I have to tell you?”

“S-sorry”, he sheepishly replied, hand coming up to scratch the back of his neck as he averted his gaze. “A habit.”

“A bad one”, she added with a small chuckle. Nico couldn’t do anything else but smile awkwardly, not sure what she was doing there. He hadn’t seen her since he came out of the hospital after all. 

A thought crossed his brain, making the smile fall, and his eyes narrow as his mind started screaming at him. His throat became dry, breath running short as he quickly rushed through his question with panic rapidly increasing, “Is Will okay?”

And every trace of amusement instantly faded from Mrs. Solace’s face at his words. She lifted her cup, eyes sad and filled with pain as she quietly took a sip from it then clutched on it as if her life depended on it. She slowly shook her head, a strand falling out of her neatly done hairdo. 

“Of course you immediately asked about him”, she mumbled, more to herself than to them, a sad smile playing on her lips before it fell off again. “No, he’s not”, she finally answered and Nico thought that his heart was going to combust with the amount of worry that flooded it.

Before he could even open his mouth to demand more she continued, “That’s why I’m here. He’s too stubborn, you know him, he won’t listen to me or his father or siblings. You’re the only person who can help”, and there was so much sorrow, despair, hopelessness in her eyes that it shattered Nico’s heart to the tiniest bits.

But then fear followed, and he quickly scrambled to try and find a solution, an answer, something. “You’ll have to give me more than that, Mrs. S. Did something happen?”

She sighed, pinched the bridge of her nose as she lowered the cup on the table again, “Ever since he left the hospital”, she began and Nico felt sick just by mentioning it. Hazel threw him a concerned glance but it went unnoticed by him whose eyes were fixed on Mrs. Solace and her trembling hands, glossy eyes. “He hasn’t been okay. We had to bring him back home. He’s barely talking to anyone. Says he’s sorry and that it’s all his fault.”

And Nico had to calm himself down because he wanted to scream and to cry. After all, it hurt. He clenched his fists to stop his hands from shaking, glared at his lap, puffed out his cheeks. He couldn’t bear to look at Mrs. Solace knowing it was his fault that she was so desperate. 

Instead, he quietly whispered, “What does it have to do with me?”, because he didn’t want it to be his fault, he didn’t want to be the one who did that to Will. He didn’t want to be the one who had to fix it either, the pain of everything that happened still burning brightly inside of him and hurting even through the already healed up wounds. 

“Come with me”, she pleaded, her voice watery and shaky as she rose from the seat and knelt in front of him. She cupped his face with her hand, brushed his bangs away from his eyes, “Please, Nico. Enough is enough. I’m sick of watching you hurt yourselves. You need him as much as he needs you.”

Nico hated how his heart fluttered at the words. It was a weak, weak thing after all. He squeezed his eyes shut, took a deep breath. He knew what he needed to do, his body, mind, heart screaming at him, telling him it was the right thing to do. 

He needed to be the bigger man. Needed to make the first step. Needed to try and fix everything because Mrs. Solace was right. More than anything else, he needed Wil. And Will needed him, apparently.

“Okay”, he nodded, voice still a mere whisper, “Okay, okay, okay.”

“You’ll come?”, her green eyes turned hopeful as she searched his face, still sitting close, still holding his cheek. 

“I think that it’s about time to clear things up once and for all”, Nico confessed because he, too, was sick of them hurting each other. Sick of the pain. Sick of desperation, wondering, waiting. He wanted an end, a closure, no matter how painful it would be. He knew that the day for it was going to come, he just didn’t expect it to come that soon.

“I’m so proud of you”, she whispered before kissing his forehead in such a caring, motherly manner that it made Nico feel warm and happy all over just for a brief moment. 

They didn’t waste much time, quickly bidding Hazel goodbye and promising to call her as soon as possible. The car drive back home was a well familiar one spent in utter silence with only the sound of radio piercing through it as Mrs. Solace drove. Nico stared out of the window, scenario after scenario playing in his head, wondering how it would all go down. Would Will be happy to see him? Angry? Sad? Would he be willing to talk or would he push him away? 

...would their relationship be finally over?

They parked in front of the yellow house, the entire neighborhood empty and quiet per usual. Nico sat there, staring at the house, feeling a lump form in his throat. He suddenly felt small again, like the first time he came to visit, hesitant and afraid. He didn’t think that a day would come when he’d dread going into that house again.

“He’s not in”, Mrs.Solace suddenly said and that got Nico out of whatever trance he was under. 

He blinked at her but she wasn’t looking at him, her eyes trained on the wheel. Under that light, that angel, Nico could see the way years have been wearing down on her. Crinkles forming around her eyes and mouth, gray hair peeking through her usually brown one. Time flew by.

“He’s not?”, he managed to croak out.

Her eyes went distant, “No, he spends most of his time outside. Just wandering around. He comes by nightfall though.”

Nico searched her expression some more before turning around too. He contemplated his next move. He could wait for Will to come back and face him there or…

He quickly unbuckled his belt before his resolve could crumble and opened the door, “I’m going to go to him then.”

“You don’t even know where to search. He could be anywhere!”, she tried but Nico already made his decision.

“Don’t worry, Mrs. Solace. I’ll be fine”, he smiled. And before she could answer, he closed the door shut and started walking away.

Confidence suddenly started growing within him, his steps getting more determined the farther he walked. He could do it. He could face Will, talk to him, sort this mess out. He just needed his best friend back. That was all he asked for.

That thought was what kept him going, urging him to walk further, out of the neighborhood, and towards the old playground. It was worn out, lost its shine and glow, no childlike wonder to mask away all its flaws but it still sparked something warm, cozy, joyful inside him the second he stepped in. 

And look, Nico didn’t know much, he wasn’t the smartest to be found, really, but if there was something that Nico did know it was his best friend. 

As expected, Will was there, sitting on a small, abandoned bench, his back turned to Nico, head bowed down. Nico could see that his hair was longer than before, messier and untamed, too. It made his shoulders sag as he stuffed his hands into his pockets and slowly started making his way over. 

He didn’t know what to say, a million words ready on the tip of his tongue but none of them feeling like enough. A sudden thought about turning around and leaving before Will could see him appeared but he quickly dismissed, a new flare of determination setting in as he stood two feet away, still unnoticed by the other man.

Will suddenly lifted his head and, when his eyes connected with Nico’s, a piece of him died. The blue was no longer bright, no longer vibrant, no longer resembling the beautiful skies of above. There was no joy, no teasing, no...no spark in it. They were dull, washed out, faded. Eyes of a hopeless, broken man, rimmed with red and dark bags. 

“Nico?”, Will blinked up at him, eyes still distant, still zoned out. Voice unbelieving, just above a whisper. 

And Nico sighed, a sad look crossing his face as he took his best friend in. The skinny frame, the slumped shoulders, the paled out skin. The tiredness and sadness he radiated. It seemed like all life had been taken away from him, leaving only an empty shell behind. 

“Hey, Sunshine.”

“What are you doing here?”, Will immediately asked and the words stung, said with such bitterness, hurt, rejection. 

Nico knew that Will didn’t mean it though. He just nodded his head towards the bench, trying to remain as calm and casual as possible because one of them needed to be if they wanted this to work and Nico was willing to make the sacrifice. “Mind if I join you?”

Will shrugged and scooted a bit to the right, “Knock yourself out.”

Nico took the empty seat, his entire body tense, and filled with anticipation. The silence that followed was heavy, suffocating, weighing down on them, and giving no room to breathe, to think, to move.

Will was the first one who broke it. “What happened with your hair?”, he asked, still not looking at him, still slumped against the back of the bench.

Nico’s hand flew to his hair, fingers brushing what little of it he had left. “That”, he mumbled, “Is a long story. You’d either kill me or laugh at me if I told you”, he confessed, shame burning in him because of what happened. 

It was a stupid mistake, really. Insomnia had been haunting him, the voices in his head screaming and getting louder by the second. In a desperate attempt to do something, change anything, Nico ran to the bathroom and, before he could stop himself, cut his hair in the most hideous haircut he had ever had a chance of witnessing. Only after his blood stopped boiling, head cooled down and hands stopped shaking did Nico realize what he had done. But it was too late and his long hair which he had been nurturing and taking care of for years had been ruined.

With a walk of shame, he came out of his bedroom in the morning, head bowed down, and anxiety over the roof as he confessed to Hazel what happened. She was sympathetic, opting not to make fun of him but instead offering her support as Leo called Piper over to give him a proper haircut. She saved what she could which left him with his sides shaved off in an undercut type of way and the rest of the hair falling and reaching his cheeks. It was better than nothing and it was kind of growing in on him at that point.

The corner of Will’s lip tugged upwards in an attempt of a smile, “If you say so.”

Nico didn’t want the conversation to die already so he scrambled to save it, blurting the first thing that came to mind. “Do you like it?”

He winced at his own words even before Will’s head snapped towards him, a confused, “What?”, falling from his now unmarked lips.

“The hair”, he gulped, “Do you like it?”

Will regarded him for a moment, nodded, “Yeah, it looks nice.”

Nico nodded back, let himself slump against the seat again with a pitiful sigh leaving his mouth. 

He didn’t know what to do. That shouldn’t have been so hard as it was. Talking to Will used to be the easiest thing in the world. He hated what happened. He hated not knowing what the other was thinking and how everything just felt awkward, restricting. They used to be able to function as one but then it felt as if they were a million lightyears apart.

After what felt like an eternity of silence, Nico finally decided to fuck it, sick of the mood, of feeling lost, helpless, confused. Of waiting. Of the entire situation.

He balled his fists, nails digging into his palms and grounding him as he finally managed to grit out the question that had been haunting him the entire time. “Why?”

“Why what?”, Will countered, not looking at him again, distracted again.

Nico wouldn’t have it. He needed Will’s eyes on him, needed to make sure that the other one was listening and hearing. That he was paying attention. He jumped up, stood in front of Will, looked him dead in the eyes with the glare of his own, and clenched jaw.

“Why did you do it, Will? Why did you...Why did you kiss me and then….Why did you leave?”, he choked out, tears blurring his vision already. 

“Because I wanted to hurt you”, came Will’s even reply. He was yet to move, to look at him, to show any sign of life instead of just uselessly sitting there.

Nico shook his head, blinked the tears away. “Lies”, he accused, “Why?”

“Because I couldn’t handle having you as a soulmate”, and Nico could sense some bit of truth in it but not entirely, still coated in that even, dismissive tone, still lifeless. 

“Stop fucking lying”, he screamed. He leaned down, fisted Will’s hoodie which he only then noticed was one of his own. He brought him in close, faces only inches apart, and tears streaming down his face as he yelled at him, “Why, Will?! Why did you leave me when the only thing I asked you to do was to stay?!”

And Will finally looked at him, blue pinning him down with its anger, pain, sorrow as Will whispered, “Because I love you. I left because I love you.”

“You don’t fucking walk out on people that you love, Will! You’re meant to do the opposite. You’re meant to stay!” 

Will pushed him off, scrambling up and poking his chest with his finger as he started cornering Nico and making him walk backward. The life within his eyes was back, fire burning bright and light as Will joined him in on the screaming. “Yes, you do. You’re meant to walk out when you can’t look at them without the guilt eating you out! You’re meant to walk out when you can’t even look at them without regretting everything you did! You’re meant to walk out when they’re better off without you!”

Nico tripped, falling backward and hitting the hard, cold ground. He winced, some of his still-healing wounds throbbing and aching but he couldn't pay much attention to them. Not with Will looming above him, chest rapidly rising and falling and looking at him with such a furious look that it made Nico shiver.

“You’re meant to walk out when all you can do is hurt them over and over again”, Will spat out before turning on his heel and starting to walk away.

He quickly scrambled up, feet tripping over themselves as he ran after Will’s retracting figure. He ran past him, stood in the front, and slapped him across the face, “You fucking idiot!”

Will held his cheek, a surprised look on his face, all of the indifference and anger falling off as he stared at Nico. Nico didn’t care though, his blood was boiling with anger, searing pain coursing through him as he glared at Will with tearful eyes. His throat was tight but he didn’t care, choosing to yell at him despite every word coming out broken, hurt, desperate.

“Don’t walk out on me again! Y-you can’t! You can’t tell me that you love me only to leave in the next second. How is that fair?” 

“It’s not”, Will said and his voice was quiet again, wobbly, shaky, as he furiously wiped his cheek. “It’s not but how is it fair for me to stay?”

“What?”, Nico gasped out, chest heaving, body trembling.

“How are you not mad, Nico? How come you still want me around?”, and it was asked so sadly, so brokenly that Nico couldn’t stay up any longer, knees giving out and falling in front of Will all over again.

His lips tilted up in a sad smile as he stared at his hands, hair covering his face. “I am mad”, he confessed, “I’m mad that you walked out, that you left without a trace for almost two months. That you made me sick with worry and regret. But I’m not mad about anything that happened before.”

And Will joined him, too. Body falling and knees brushing Nico’s. “Why?”, he choked out, making Nico look up and catch the sight of Will’s beautiful face covered with silent tears as he determinedly stared at him.

He shrugged, small but noticeable, “Why should I be? You’d never hurt me on purpose.”

Will shook his head, bottom lip wobbling before he swallowed thick and hard. “I just did.”

“No”, he disagreed, some small bit of confidence appearing again, “You didn’t. Not on purpose.”

The other looked at him for a moment longer before his gaze fell on his lap. He sighed, his entire body deflating as he weakly whispered, “I can’t do this, Nico.”

Panic flared in Nico as he reached out, gripped Will’s hands in his in a death grip, “Can’t what?”

“I can’t do this. It hurts”, he gently confessed, more tears spilling as he sniffled, “I feel so bad. I can’t even look at you. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry”, he sobbed and Nico scooted closer, straddled his lap just like Will used to before and guided his head into the crook of his neck as he rubbed Will’s back in small, comforting circles.

“It’s okay, Sunshine”, he shushed, tone low, gentle, careful, “It’s okay. We can work through this. I’ll help.”

Will weakly shook his head, hands gripping the fabric of Nico’s jacket as he stubbornly refused, “No, no, no. I won’t drag you down anymore. I can’t. I won’t do it to you. You don’t deserve it.”

“Maybe”, he agreed, “But I want to help. Please, let me help.”

Silence. Long. Pregnant. 

And then.

“What if you can’t?”, small, quiet, scared.

“I can”, Nico promised, stubborn, determined, confident. “I will.”

A beat.

“I’m sorry.” 

Another. 

“I love you.”


	22. Chapter 22

“You’re acting ridiculous.”

“I am not.”

“You so are.”

“Am not!”

“Are too!”

“Both of you shut the fuck up before I slap you into next year”, Lou interrupted with a hiss as she tugged on Will’s and Cecil’s ears. 

“Lou, be gentle. My ears are fragile”, Cecil whined as he slowly started sinking down, Lou’s hold merciless as she squeezed tighter and twisted it for a nice flare of pain.

Will only hissed but otherwise kept quiet in favor of praying for the entire thing to be over soon.

“And so are my nerves”, Lou simply replied before taking in a deep breath and looking at each of them, “Now, I am willing to release you if you are willing to stop being stupid and act like adults for a change.”

“Why am I stupid?!”, Cecil protested, “He’s being stupid. Not me. I’m trying to make him not stupid.”

“I’m pretty sure that the word you’re looking for is smart”, Will couldn’t help but fill in which only earned him a smack in the stomach from Cecil and another tug from Lou. 

“Shut up, William”, they said in unison to which Will only rolled his eyes but kept his mouth shut, figuring he wanted to come out in one piece at the end of that quarrel.

“Lou, c’mon”, Cecil continued to plead, “Let me go, and, together, we can knock some sense into him. What do you say?” 

Lou hummed for a second before letting them both go but not without a little shove forward which made them stumble. Will quickly straightened up, cleaning off non-existent dust from his denim jacket and fixing his beanie as Cecil looked left and right in an attempt to make sure nobody saw their little show.

“Oh, my God!”, Lou suddenly screamed.

Will jumped in his spot, blue eyes going wide as he frantically looked around in search of whatever managed to alarm her enough to make her scream and probably wake up half of the neighborhood.

“I broke a nail thanks to you two!”, she cried as she examined her carefully painted nails. True enough, one of the colorful masterpieces was hanging loose and looking quite gross in Will’s opinion. “Do you have an idea of how long it took for me to do them?”

“Eh”, Cecil shrugged as he threw her one bored look, “Just do it again. No biggie.”

Will winced at the words even before Lou flicked her blue hair over her shoulder and started marching towards the very scared looking Cecil in her red heels, each clack bringing Cecil closer to his doom. 

“No biggie?”, she whispered and Will could swear that he saw her left eye twitch before she grabbed Cecil’s shirt and brought him in so close that their noses were touching. “I spent two hours on them.”

“Then one nail shouldn’t take longer than 15 minutes right?”, Cecil tried for a light-hearted tone but his voice came out way too shaky for it.

“I should rephrase”, Lou cleared her throat, “I spent two hours on each nail, Cecil.” 

“Oh”, Cecil gulped and if it were any other circumstances Will would’ve laughed, maybe brought some popcorns and lounged in the back as he watched the show, but he had other things in mind like saving his own butt so, instead, he started slowly walking backward, hoping against all hope that they’d notice too late and that he’d be in a clear long before it happened.

Much to his luck, not even ten steps into his cowardly retreat, Will managed to successfully trip over a rock and fall on the cold, hard ground before he even managed to blink. That, unfortunately, got his friends’ attention in no time, two sets of eyes falling on Will’s sheepish form as he scrambled to his feet.

“Well, this was fun”, he began, feet inching backward again as he waved his hands and smiled so wide that his cheeks started to hurt, “But I just remembered that I have a thing at the completely opposite end of the city so I should really go. Don’t wanna be late and all”, he laughed before turning on his heel and bolting down the street.

And he really thought that he had them there. He really did. In fact, he could taste the victory on the tip of his tongue but once again it was cut short even before he managed to release the first laugh. He was stopped, two hands clutching on the back of his jacket and holding him in place.

Will sighed, his shoulders slumping and hair flying all over the place as he did so. “Guys, c’mon…”

“Nope”, Lou cut him off as she popped a bubble and continued to chew on her gum, “We’re still not over with you, mister.”

“Not in the slightest”, Cecil added, one big arm settling over Will’s shoulders and hugging him close against Cecil’s big, meaty body. Lou’s arm joined him and together the three of them started to make their way down the street looking like one big circus show as they pushed everyone around in order to pass through.

Will could feel his anxiety growing by each step, fear washing over him, and making him feel sick. “C’mon, are you seriously doing this? There’s seriously no need to…”

“Will”, Lou began from his right, her tone leaving no room for argument as they made another turn, coming closer and closer to the source of Will’s fears, “We’re doing this for your own good.”

“We just want to help man”, Cecil filled in from his left, squeezing his arm in an attempt to reassure and only managing to break it in the process. “We’re honestly doing you a favor over here.”

“I didn’t ask for it”, he decided to point out, fully aware that it won’t do anything to help him.

“See, that’s what’s so great about us. You don’t even have to ask. Isn’t that amazing?”, Lou cheered, all false enthusiasm and long lashes blinking up at him. 

“Yey, so great”, Will cheered, sarcasm dripping from every word. 

“Right? Glad we agree.”

“I still don’t think that we should do this”, Will continued, panic growing bigger as he realized that they were just another turn away from the place of his future death. “Like, I really, really don’t”, he persisted, tugging and fighting against their strong holds and achieving absolutely nothing with it.

Despite his fight, Will’s doom showed itself in its full glory as soon as they took the next turn and stopped in front of the well familiar building. 

Hestia’s Cafe.

Will gulped as he looked the building up and down, squirming as he contemplated trying to run away again. Maybe he could’ve distracted them and then just run for his life? That could’ve worked. Both of them were easily distracted.

One look at them though made him realize that trickery would get him nowhere in that situation which left him with only one choice.

“Please, guys. I’m not ready. Give me one more day. Please”, he pleaded, all ideas about running away going out of the window as well as his dignity. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

Lou shook her head as she released him and stood in front of him, one hand on her hip as the other one poked his nose. “Listen up, cupcake.”

“Cupcake”, Cecil snorted, shutting up as soon as Lou glared at him.

“You. Can. Do. This”, she said, each word followed by another poke in his nose, making Will go cross-eyed as he followed it. 

“I really can’t”, he sadly admitted, defeat weighing down on him even before he took a step inside.

“Yes, you can. Look at you!”, she shook his shoulders, “You said the same thing three weeks ago and look at where you are now! This is nothing compared to what you’ve done so far.”

And true. That really shouldn’t have been such a big deal. But it was.

The past three weeks had been a nightmare for Will. 

One would think that after his and Nico’s talk everything would work itself out but boy, was that wrong. Will battled his demons more than ever.

Nico was far too stubborn, per usual, and decided to stay at his childhood home, for the time being, much to Will’s dismay. He would come over each day and each day Will would do his best to ignore him as Nico would follow him around the neighborhood in silence, just walking and sitting with him, keeping Will company as he sulked.

Sometime around one week mark into their weird little dynamic they had going, Nico started to talk. It wasn’t much. Sometimes he would even hum or sing under his breath. But he started breaking the silence, going from joking to commenting to narrating to filing Will in on what he had been missing and eventually Will caved in and joined.

It was a slow process, but he eventually came out of his shell, starting to have full conversations with his best friend without feeling sick or wanting to apologize after each word. Will could tell that it made Nico happy by the way he became more enthusiastic, the shine in his eyes, and the smile that seemed to never leave his face. It made Will happy in return, a wish for him to continue to keep on doing it only growing by each day.

Will still kept his distance, though, leaving their interaction at conversations and walks alone. No touching. No having meals or doing anything else. Just walking and talking. He could do that, not much room to mess up after all.

That didn’t last long and after two weeks, his parents sat him down with the question.

What was he planning to do next?

And really, Will had no plans. He still felt bad but he knew that he was doing better. His sleep schedule was improving as well as his eating. He was taking care of himself again and feeling better by each day and he knew that it was all thanks to Nico. 

He knew what the next step should be though so he just went with it, announcing his decision to Nico the following day.

“I’m going back”, he said as they sat in the woods behind Nico’s house, at the same spot they used to spend so much time when they were little. It was much duller then. No wonder, no mystery. Just forest and a knocked-down log.

“What?”, Nico asked, his hands immediately stilling in his lap where he had been fidgeting with his ring.

Will just shrugged, “I figured it’s been long enough and I’m doing better so why not?”

“Are you though?”

“What?”

“Doing better, I mean”, Nico elaborated, scooting just a bit towards Will. Will could see his fingers twitching, probably in a need to reach out and hold Will’s hand the way he usually would but Nico held back, a hurt look flashing in his eyes for a second before giving way to pure concern and interest. It hurt Will to know that he was hurting Nico like that but he...he couldn’t. Not yet.

“That.” Will nodded before humming for a bit, “Yeah, I think I am.”

“Promise?”, Nico pressed, making Will’s heart flutter at the obvious care he was showing.

He smiled at him, small but honest, “Promise.”

And that was it.

They immediately went back to pack, meeting at Will’s driveway where they waited for Will’s mum to do them a favor and drive them back. It was an awkward ride, Will wasn’t going to lie. Both of them kept at their own side of the car, leaving the middle empty and touch-free, thank you very much. His mum did her best to fill the silence with some small talk and bad music, something which Will was very much grateful for. 

Nico went straight to Will’s dorm that day. It didn’t matter that Will refused and complained and rejected him, he stood his ground with the words, “Let me help, Sunshine”, and Will was a weak, weak man.

They ended up cleaning most of the night. Will felt embarrassed by the amount of mess that he had made. From dirty laundry to empty food wrappers and water bottles. 

“It’s okay. We’ll sort it out in no time”, Nico shrugged, a small smile on as he offered a trash bag to Will.

It wasn’t sorted out in no time but by the time Will threw out the last bag, Nico was sound asleep on his bed, one cheek squished and drool coming out of the corner of his mouth as he lightly snored. Will sighed as he walked over as quietly as possible. 

He gently brushed Nico’s hair out of his face, feeling the softness and silkiness of it for the first time in what felt like forever. His fingers tingled, his whole body buzzed. He retreated his hand and took a blanket to throw it over his best friend’s sleeping form instead before settling down on the floor himself. 

The next day was awkward but it was quickly forgotten when Cecil appeared at his door with Lou in tow, demanding answers and explanations.

Nico, the traitor, was quick to excuse himself, “I’m just going to grab us some coffee. Be back real quick.” He didn’t even give any time for Will to react before basically running out of the room and slamming the door shut.

What followed was a mess of Will trying to explain everything without crying to his two shouting friends who only had questions after questions after questions. 

He started classes again the next day which only left one more thing to do: going back to work.

Which brought us to the situation they were facing at that moment, Will frozen in front of the place he used to love so much, unable to even take a step inside and all for one reason.

“She’s not mad, Will”, Lou reminded him. 

Will sighed before rubbing his eyes. He didn’t get much sleep the night before, anxiety eating him up raw as he thought about the following day.

Hestia said it’s okay for him to come to work. He called her and she herself told him when to come and which shift to take. She promised that everything would be okay and that he was more than welcomed. But Hestia wasn’t the problem.

Hazel was.

“I seriously doubt that”, he groaned. 

The words Hazel said to him that day….they still rang loud and clear in his head, haunting him and making him want to slip back into the dark void he just barely managed to escape. She had every right to be mad, to hate him. He felt the same towards himself after all.

“Look, dude”, Cecil clasped his shoulder, making him stumble and wince as he did, “I know that it’s hard to believe but your whole situation kind of is. No offense.”

“None taken.”

“Right. But remember what Nico said!”, he cheered.

“That she said it’s okay and that she wants to talk”, Will mumbled for what felt like the millionth time since he got up. It probably was. They both went out of their way to get up early and personally escort Will and make sure he gets to work on time that day, well aware of how scared he was of doing so. If Will was an honest person he’d admit that he would chicken out on his own but he wasn’t so that part was left a secret.

“Exactly! Nothing scary there. Just some talking!”

“You clearly have no idea just how scary talking can be”, Will dryly replied, earning a chuckle from Lou.

He looked at the cafe again. He knew that it was the right thing to do, a step in the right direction, towards healing. He knew that he had to do it if not for himself then for Nico. 

He paused for a second. Backtracked. 

That though made everything go clear in his head. His fears became meaningless, unimportant, foolish. He had to do it. No question asked, no excuses needed or good enough. He had to do it. For Nico. It was all for Nico.

With that sentence in mind, Will straightened up, puffed out his chest as much as he could, and gave a small nod. 

“Okay”, he whispered.

“Okay?”, both of his friends asked, eyes wide in disbelief as they stood beside him as if he was going to explode at any given moment.

“Okay, okay, okay. I’m doing it. I’m going in”, Will said, feeling courage grow just a bit with each word.

“You go, man!”, Cecil whooped.

“Go get ‘em, tiger”, Lou cheered as she slapped his back.

Will nodded at them once more before finally moving his legs and heading inside. With a last, “Wish me luck”, thrown over his shoulder, he entered the cafe, the comforting smell immediately filling his lungs as blue eyes connected with golden ones. 

Will hesitated for a moment, holding his breath as his eyes searched Hazel’s face. 

The moment seemed to stretch on forever before Hazel shook her head with a fond sigh and an eye roll, “Late as usual.”

He sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck before throwing her a small smile, “Sorry?”

“Just get in there”, she shooed. The words made Will scramble as he stumbled into the back room and quickly changed into his uniform before rushing back out to greet the customers. 

Work went on smoothly from there. People even seemed happy to see him back, greeting him and cheering as if they saw their favorite family member before patiently waiting for their orders and offering more than generous tips but not like WIll was complaining. He needed all the money he could get. 

They didn’t get to talk much besides an occasional order here and there until the rush hour was over and everyone was served and satisfied. Will was ready to finally fully relax when Hazel dropped by his side, elbows leaned on the counter, mirroring Will’s stance.

His whole body immediately went rigid as he stared dead ahead, too scared to even look at her. 

The silence stretched on, only the sound of passing cars and people chatting filling it but the two of them kept their mouths firmly shut. Will felt his heart beating loud against his ribcage, breathing becoming hard with each second. It was a blessing when Hazel released her first noise since she took her place by his side.

She hummed for a while before sighing. “I’m sorry”, she said, small, quiet...scared?

“You shouldn’t be”, Will immediately said. Probably the wrong thing to do but he didn’t want her pity. That time when he broke her glass horse figurine? Sure. But not then.

“I really should”, she pressed, “What I said back then...It was...It was too much but I just…”

“You were just honest”, Will filled in, “And that’s all I’m asking you to be Hazel. You don’t have to apologize.”

“But I do!”, Hazel shouted, gaining the attention of some people who quickly dismissed them, and her voice sounded so desperate that Will had to look at her, regretting it the very next second. Hazel’s eyes were filled to the brim with unshed tears, bottom lip quivering as she stared stubbornly up at him. “What I said hurt you during the time when you were already hurting so much. Was I angry? Yes, but it doesn't justify what I did. I…”

“I deserved it”, he countered, “Each and every word. What I did…”

“Was thoughtless and stupid and selfish but you didn’t mean it and you regret it and you’re working hard to fix it.”

“It shouldn’t have happened in the first place”, he gritted out, anger bubbling inside him but not at Hazel. At himself.

“It shouldn’t have”, she agreed, “But it did and there’s no way to change it. But please, Will. I-I don’t….”, her words seemed to fail her. She took a moment to recollect herself, took a deep breath with closed eyes before opening them again and piercing him with his gaze before saying, “You’re like a brother to me. Please, forgive me.”

And Will? He acted before thinking, wrapping his arms around her petite frame and pulling her into a tight hug, letting her sniffle into his chest as he rubbed her back. “Okay”, he whispered, his voice watery and shaky but Will didn’t care because it was easier to breathe, a weight he didn’t realize the actual size of being lifted off his shoulders.

“Okay?”, she checked.

“Yeah, okay. But”, he added as he distanced himself a bit in order to look her in the eyes, “Only if you forgive me as well. Not all of it but…”

“All of it”, she said solemnly, leaving no room for argument, “I forgive you all of it as long as you don’t do anything like that ever again.”

Will didn’t even feel it in himself to argue with her any longer, he just nodded and smiled at her, leaving the entire conversation at that. “Okay”, he whispered again, going back to hugging her tight.

Suddenly, a flash of light appeared from the other side of the counted making them separate in an instant in their confusion. 

“I’m going to frame this one”, Nico commented as he checked what Will assumed was the picture of him and Hazel hugging which Leo took.

“They are adorable. Frank is going to love it”, Leo agreed before pocketing his phone and taking a slurp of his slushie as he waved at them, “Hello.”

“Delete it”, Hazel demanded instantly. 

“Nope”, Leo countered, popping the ‘p’.

“Leo”, she threatened.

“Hazel”, he mocked.

Before any of them could react, Hazel leaped over the counter, chasing after Leo as they both screamed and yelled, earning themselves an angry Hestia who followed.

Nico observed them for a bit before he looked up at Will again. “I am framing that”, he confirmed.

“You framed worse”, Will shrugged as he started typing into the register, “The usual?”

“You know it”, Nico tapped his fingers against the counter and then turned on his heel and headed for the corner booth table, his usual one.

Will worked quickly on Nico’s overly sugary, totally unhealthy, diabetes causing drink as well as some tea for himself. He grabbed both of their drinks plus some random pastries as he called out to Hazel, “I’m on my break.”

“Yeah, yeah”, she dismissed as she tried to wrestle Leo off of the coffee machine. 

Will ignored their behavior in favor of taking a seat opposite of Nico and offering him his drink. “My angel”, he bowed, words falling off his lips before he could even think about them.

“Thanks”, Nico mumbled, blush appearing on his cheeks in a flash, making Will feel giddy and mortified at the same time. 

“You’re welcome”, he replied then promptly stuffed his face with some kind of cherry pastry in order to prevent himself from spewing any more bullshit. No complaints though. It was tasty. He was fully ready to immerse himself in it and let his taste buds go to heaven when Nico awkwardly cleared his throat, effectively catching Wills’ attention.

“So”, he began, dragging the words out as long as possible as he played with his straw, “I’ve been thinking…”

“Never a good thing”, he couldn’t help but tease earning himself a nice little smile.

“Shut up.”

“And pass up on the opportunity to tease you? Never.”

“Will you let me finish?”, Nico protested.

“You didn’t even begin!”, he pointed out, mouth still full of whatever he was eating.

“Swallow before you speak, Sunshine”, Nico reprimanded before throwing a napkin his way, “As I was saying, I’ve been thinking, and what about a movie night?”

Alarms sounders, sirens blared. Will saw red, danger, the forbidden zone. 

“No”, he quickly shook his head, rejecting Nico’s request for the fifth time in the last ten days. 

It wasn’t as if he didn’t want to spend alone time with Nico. In fact, he wanted it a whole lot. He wanted it so much that he felt like bursting every time Nico offered. But he was scared. 

Each time they were alone, things would escalate quickly. They knew each other too well, were too comfortable, and each contact made Will feel bad, angry, upset. He craved it and feared it at the same time and it was torture. 

He was well aware of the fact that Nico was trying to reconnect, to take the road that opened in front of them, to show WIll that he did forgive him and that he did care and that he was there but it was just still hurting him so much. 

He didn’t think it was fair towards Nico. He didn’t feel like he deserved any of it. And most of all, he didn’t want something to happen which would make both of them regret it. 

“Please, Will”, Nico pleaded, those big, dark eyes all hurt and sad, looking like a kicked puppy, making Will’s heart ache with regret. He reached out for Will’s hand, making Will flinch and retract from the touch before he could even feel it. 

Hurt flashed across Nico’s face, this time not leaving it. “Why? It will be just like always.”

“I-I can’t”, he shook his head, cradling his hand close to his chest as he did so, “I’m sorry, Nico, I just…”

“Bullshit!”

“What?”

“You heard me! What am I doing wrong, Will? I’m trying so much”, he confessed, his voice shaking with anger and hurt.

“I know”, Will shouted before taking a deep breath to calm himself a bit down. It would do them no good if they both shout at each other. He learned that the hard way. 

“I know”, he repeated, this time quieter, “And it….it means the world but I just….I can’t. I’m not ready.”

“Ready for what? It’s just a hang out”, Nico insisted, sounding completely baffled by everything and obviously lying to both of them.

“You very well know that it’s not just a hangout, Nico”, he hissed which effectively calmed Nico down. 

“Yeah”, he sighed, “I know. Guess I just...I hoped that things would change, ya know? Between us and all. Stupid”, he mumbled which made Will jump into action in a blink of an eye.

“No!”, he almost shouted, “No, not stupid. Not stupid at all.”

“No?”

Will was shaking his head so much that he probably resembled a bobblehead at that point, “No. It’s really not. I want that too. You know I do.”

Nico sadly smiled at him, shrugged a bit, “Kind of hard to believe all things considered.”

“I know”, he groaned, “But please, believe me, Death Boy. I just need some more time”, he confessed, small, quiet, defeated.

“Time”, Nico repeated, more to himself than to anyone else. He sighed, gave a small nod, “Then I’m willing to give you all of it.”

And Will knew that Nico meant it. That honesty and sincerity were dripping off his every word. That he was willing to give him that and more, more, more. 

And he’d be damned if he didn’t make it worth it.

“I know”, he whispered, hand hesitantly reaching out, open and waiting and willing. 

Ever so slowly, Nico rested his own in it, pale fingers lacing with Will’s tan ones and giving a gentle squeeze. 

Will squeezed back. Equally gentle, equally careful. Trying to convey his promise with it.

“Nico”, he called softly, waiting for a hum of acknowledgment before continuing. “You know that I…”, but Nico interrupted him before he could even finish.

“I do, too, Sunshine”, he reassured with a soft tone and an even softer smile. “We’ll be okay.”

“We will”, he agreed as he tried to ignore the small voice in his head which said otherwise focusing on Nico and the love he felt for him instead. 

They would be. 

They had to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we are so close to the end, I'm so excited


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is very lengthy so i hope it makes up for my skipping, also very bittersweet

With hurried steps, Nico raced across the campus ground, trying hard not to trip and drop everything he’s holding. The sun was a persistent bastard that day too, shining and flashing in Nico’s eyes, making him squint as he dodged the other students and made his way towards the art building. 

His phone suddenly started ringing and with a groan, Nico contemplated ignoring it but ultimately decided against it since it could be important. He stopped short, right in the middle of a crowd. People pushed and cussed at him for the sudden stop but he didn’t pay them much thought as he dug through his pocket and fished out his phone.

Hazel’s image appeared on the screen. Nico frowned as he accepted the call and then continued to walk, ear pressing into his shoulder where his phone was placed. 

“Hello?”

“What took you so long?”, Hazel immediately reprimanded from the other side. 

He rolled his eyes. “I’m busy? What do you want?”

“Busy with what?”, she countered.

“I have to finish the painting, remember?”

“Oh, yeah”, she gasped, “You and Will finally got your shit back together.”

“More or less”, he agreed with a sigh.

It took a while. Weeks of talking, slowly building up their relationship again and trying not to combust from the sheer awkwardness and tension that could be cut with a knife. Nico was reluctant to even bring up his final project opting to just suck it up and try and finish it from the memory which would’ve probably worked well too but then it was actually Will who mentioned it.

“You still have to finish it, right?”, he started conversationally but Nico could sense the nervous edge in his voice.

“Yeah”, he nodded as he focused on his book. They were at the library, both of them agreeing on doing a study session together even though they weren’t studying anything remotely similar but it always helped to have someone to help you focus. Or not, in their case.

Will scratched the back of his neck as he stopped rocking his chair and lowered his pencil which he was chewing on the entire time. “Well, would you like to?”

At that Nico lowered his book as well, head cocked to the side as he grunted, “Huh?”

“Ya know”, Will hesitated, all cute and awkward and adorable and be still Nico’s heart, you still have a long way to go, “Wanna finish it? I could model again and all?”

He looked up, met Nico’s gaze which was probably an awful mixture of confused, shocked, and surprised.

“Or not”, he squeaked out, head tilting back down as he attempted to cover his blush and failed miserably. Good thing he cut his hair so he could no longer hide his pretty face. 

“No!”, Nico yelped, gaining the attention of a couple of people from the tables around them. He quickly retreated, shoulders hitching high, and reaching his ears as he sunk in his chair. 

“No?”, Will checked and Nico could swear that he looked like a kicked puppy at that moment.

He facepalmed, the slap echoing but that time he didn’t care. “No, no, no”, he waved his hands, rushed to explain, and fix the entire mess that his blabbery mouth managed to create out of a simple question, “I meant yes.”

“I--”, Will started but halted to a stop, eyebrows pinching together, “What?”

“I want to”, he nodded but then added when he realized that it didn’t make any sense again, “Finish the painting, I mean. If you’re cool with it.”

His best friend visibly deflated, sinking in his chair with a sigh and a small smile. “Yep, all cool.”

“Cool”, he agreed with a jerk of his head. 

“Cool.”

“I mean”, Nico went back to his conversation with Hazel, “Things are still awkward but they’re better, I guess?”, he finished but he knew that he sounded as confused as he felt. But it was the truth. They made a shit ton of progress and Nico was honestly very proud of both of them but stuff was still off. Something was still missing and he couldn’t help but be slightly bothered by it. 

“Yeah, I get what you mean, But don’t worry, big bro. It’ll work itself out”, Hazel reassured, making Nico smile, small but pleased.

“Thanks, Haze. I hope you’re right.”

“I always am”, she replied with the confidence only little sisters could bear which would be a big ton.

“Agree to disagree”, he sighed as he dodged yet another rushing student, whose stuff was spilling all over the path. Nico pitied the poor dude but he also completely understood him. That time of the year made all of them go crazy. “Why did you even call?”

“Sheesh, a girl can’t even call her own brother to check up on him?”, Nico could tell that Hazel was attempting to remain chill but the change of tone didn’t go unnoticed. 

“She can but she usually doesn’t”, he decided to point out.

“Fairs”, she agreed with a sigh, “Okay so there’s something that I was meaning to talk to you about but like...it might come off as a shock.”

“Okay?”, worry immediately seeped in as well as a burst of protectiveness towards his little sister. Don’t judge him but he has seen and been through shit and knows very well just how judgmental people can be towards the dark marked ones. 

“Okay, so, basically, something happened like...two weeks ago? I think it was two weeks. And before you say anything, I know that I should’ve told you! And I wanted to but I also didn’t want to make you feel bad so I decided to wait but then it stretched on and the more I wanted the harder it became and I realized that I should just get it over with and--”

“Hazel!”, he yelled as he pushed the big, heavy door of the art building and stumbled inside before heading towards the stairs and adjusting the phone before it slipped and fell. “You’re making me worried. What’s going on?”

“Okay, okay”, she groaned from the other side, nervousness edging her voice as she finally squeaked out, “Frank and I are dating!” 

Everything fell silent for a couple of long seconds. Nico was frozen in his spot, no words coming from either end as he processed the new information. 

“Neeks? Say something, please”, Hazel called from the other end.

“You guys are dating?!”, he all but screamed but he didn’t care. “How? When? Why?”

“I don’t know! It just...happened”, she defended, “And I told you, two weeks ago. We were at the cafe and I decided that I’m just sick of waiting and beating around the bush so I asked him out. Simple as that.”

“And you just did it? Just asked him out of the blue?”, he checked, equal amounts shocked and confused.

“Yeah? Well, I have to admit, you and Will kind of made me do it. I realized just how stupid it is for two people who are obviously into each other not to date or to wait for something so I decided to at least change my situation if I can’t change yours.”

“Right”, he sighed, trying hard to mask the pain. He knew that Hazel didn’t mean to hurt him, she was right after all. She did what the two of them couldn’t. Well, what Will couldn’t. Nico was more than ready and willing and had made it known a lot of times by that point but still. She was making progress, they weren’t. It was as simple as that.

“I’m sorry, Nico”, she finally whispered.

“Damn right you should be”, he agreed, “You made me lose a bet.”

“A bet? What bet?”

“With Leo. You couldn’t have waited for a year more, huh?”, he teased.

“Oh my God, I’m going to kill both of you”, she giggled, making Nico smile, happy that his sister was happy. “But anyway, I didn’t call to tell you that. I wanted to tell you that I will be spending the night at Frank’s. We’re going on a date and I’m going to sleep over.”

“To sleep over, huh?”, he smirked, already knowing just how Hazel would react to his next words, “Make sure to be responsible and all. I’m happy you guys finally got your shit together but let's not jump straight to the baby stage just yet.” 

“You-- We--Oh my God, shut up!”, she screeched, making Nico snicker, “We’re not going to have sex!”

“Yet”, he filled in.

“You’re ridiculous.”

“And you know that I’m right.”

“As if you have any right to talk about this”, she countered, hitting right where it hurt. Ouch. “I’m done with you. Have fun with trying not to get too turned on.”

“Have fun trying to keep your hands to yourself”, he immediately snapped back but the call already ended.

It was then that Nico noticed that he had been standing in front of the all too familiar door the entire time. He pocketed his phone, took a deep breath to calm himself down, and prepare for the inevitable before deciding to fuck it and entering. He knew that there was no way out then.

“Sorry I’m late”, he immediately started as he closed the door behind himself, “Hazel called and you wouldn’t believe what she just...told...me...”, he gulped, the words getting stuck in his throat and refusing to come out as his eyes took in the feast that was before him.

There he was, his best friend of almost his entire life, dressed in nothing but a flimsy sheet and looking drop-dead gorgeous even while doing nothing but sitting on the floor and scrolling on his phone. He completely forgot just how good Will looked like that, with his smooth tan skin covered in billion freckles and the sun shining down on him. Before, he was pretty much used to it, having had worked with Will for months in various poses, clothes, and styles but after that long of a break….

Good thing that the painting was mostly done.

“No worries”, Will shrugged, that boyish smile tilting his lips upwards and making Nico want to wipe it away with his face. “What did Hazel say?”

Nico only managed a very eloquent, “Huh?”, since his poor brain was still kinda stuck on a very nice and very inappropriate fantasy.

“Hazel? You just said that she told you something”, Will explained, clearly amused if the sparkle in his eyes was anything to go by.

“Oh, yeah, right. Hazel.“ Nico quickly shook his head as he finally managed to get a hold of his brain and coordinate it with his limbs. He made his way towards his usual place where the easel was already waiting alongside some abandoned paints and brushes. He dropped his backpack down, followed by the huge canvas and his jacket.

“Apparently, she and Frank have been officially dating for about two weeks now”, he explained as he rolled his sleeves and started setting up the canvas, revealing the painting he was avoiding looking at for quite some time. It was still gorgeous, his best work yet. 

“They have?”, Will asked. His excitement was evident by the stupid dance he started, hips moving left and right as he wiggled and shook his hands. Nico smiled at him as he watched and then got caught three seconds later when Will’s eyes snapped open and he rushed over to him to shake his shoulders.

“That’s awesome! How did it happen? Who asked who out? What did she say?”, he immediately questioned.

“I don’t know everything”, he said as he attempted to pry Will’s hands off of him to save himself, “She just told me that she was the one who caved in and that’s about it.” He decided that leaving the part about them inspiring her out was the best thing to do at that moment. He knew that Will always felt guilty when he rejected any of Nico’s advances, he didn’t want to make it worse. 

“Oh man”, Wil sighed before dropping Nico’s shoulders, “They must be so happy. You don’t find the thing that they had often.”

“Yeah”, Nico agreed with a sigh of his own, “You don’t.”

He whispered the last part but something in his tone must’ve caught Will’s attention because the blue eyes landed on him. The expression his best friend wore was a strange one. It was...regretful? Hurt? Hopeful? Maybe some crazy mix of all of those? Nico couldn’t quite place it but something on his own must’ve changed because Will turned around, shoulders tense and voice strained. 

“We should probably start working, huh?”

“Yeah”, he nodded, blush, and some weird kind of shame rising as he turned towards the paint storage, “We should.”

His hands worked methodically as he started pulling out the necessary supplies. Most of it was in his backpack including his favorite brushes which he got from Hazel and Leo for his last birthday. They were super soft and had beautiful handles in various designs and colors. Nico loved them. They felt so well in his hands and not to mention the way they glided and slid all over the canvas.

Once he deemed his setup ready, he turned towards his next task which would be Will himself and his complete inability to get into the right pose or arrange the sheet he was supposed to wear. With a small sigh and a fond shake of his head, he approached the other male.

“How is it possible that you still can’t get this right?”, he mumbled as he started tugging on the fabric and putting everything back where it was supposed to be.

He shrugged with a small chuckle, “Beats me. I try but”, he finished as he pointed at himself and the obvious mess he managed to make. 

Nico shook his head but didn’t comment any further. Luckily the fix never took too long and in no time they were both ready and the painting process could begin. 

About half an hour in, Will’s voice brought Nico back from whatever focus he lost himself in as he worked on the background. 

“So, what are your thoughts on it?”

“Thoughts on what?”, he replied, eyes glued to the canvas but still able to talk. Multitasking on point, if he dared to say so himself. Talking and painting weren’t the only things he was doing at that moment after all. Some of his attention had to be directed at not thirsting too much.

“On Hazel and Frank.”

“Ah, that”, he re dipped his brush, hands carefully hovering as he added just the slightest smidge of white right there, “What are they supposed to be? I’m happy for them but also sad about the bet.”

“The bet?”, Will prompted.

“Yeah, Leo and I had a bet. I owe him 50$”, he huffed as he tucked his bangs behind his ear, “They could’ve waited just a bit longer.”

“That’s mean”, Will commented but Nico could tell that he was amused by it.

Nico just shrugged with a small, mischievous smirk, “Yeah but can you blame us? They were driving everyone insane. Even dad asked me about it, remember?”

“How could I forget? He was so confused by everything”, this time Will chuckled and Nico couldn't help but join in. 

“But seriously”, he breathed out once they both calmed down, “I’m happy for them. Frank is a good guy, I know that he’ll treat her right.”

“He will”, Will agreed and that was that on that. 

They fell silent with only the sound of their breathing and Nico mixing the paint and washing the brushes filling the room. After a while, Nico started to hum. He didn’t really know what song it was but he didn’t care and it didn’t seem like Will did either. In fact, he looked very pleased if his half-lidded eyes and the small upward tilt of his lips were anything to go by. 

Time slipped by and sooner than he would’ve liked it to, the sun dipped and the lighting in the room was completely wrong to still be working. Nico sighed as he lowered the brush again and rubbed his wrists. 

“Done already?”, Will asked in disbelief.

Nico gave him a confused smile, “Yeah? It’s been hours? Aren’t you hungry or some shit?”

“Hours?”, he repeated as he finally stepped away and ran a hand through his hair. He looked up at Nico with an apologetic smile, “Didn’t really notice, I guess.”

“You can get dressed while I pack everything up.”

“Yeah, okay”, he nodded as he wandered towards the corner where his stuff was thrown in a small pile. 

Nico did his best to keep his eyes away despite spending hours staring at Will before that but in his head it was different and he didn’t consider his self-control good enough at that moment anyway. Packing up was much easier than setting up was, mostly because most of the stuff was going to stay there anyway.

He decided that putting the paints away was better than leaving them out where they were at risk of getting ruined so he walked back towards the small cabinet, throwing over his shoulder, “I just need to put these away and then we can go, Sunshine.”

“Oki doki, don’t rush it”, Will replied, easy, carefree, and much much closer than it was supposed to be but Nico didn’t pay it much attention even though, in hindsight, he should’ve.

The second he stood back up again, he froze as his eyes flew wide, and fight or flight instinct kicked in screaming at him to fucking run as fast as his legs could carry him. But to his utter horror, his feet stayed glued as did his eyes and all he could do was observe Will who was standing on the other side of the painting for the first time since they started working together. 

He was just….looking at it. Nico couldn’t decipher the look in his eyes but there was nothing angry or upset about it so that was at least something. Will’s arms were crossed over his chest, bottom lip stuck in between his teeth and eyebrows pinched close together as he observed, observed, and observed. 

Finally, he released his bottom lip, spun on his heel, pointed behind his shoulder, “I think that you’ve got the wrong guy.”

Nico’s brain was fried as he blinked at him and probably looked like the world's worst idiot. “I-I---H-huh?”

Will turned back around, expression still unreadable to Nico as he tilted his head to the side, some curls falling over his face. “The painting. It looks nothing like me.”

Nico’s mouth finally snapped shut as an odd sense of self-defense kicked in. He stomped over, arms outstretched as he gestures at the picture. “Nothing like you?!”, he screeched, feeling utterly and completely insulted. “It looks exactly like you!”, he defended. 

Usually, he wasn’t so arrogant or self-confident but he showed the piece to Hazel and she said so herself. Was so impressed that she even doubted that it was Nico who did it in the first place for fucks sake! 

His nostrils flared as he glared at Will, arms crossing over each other and cheeks puffing out. 

Will’s lips were parted in a small ‘o’ as he looked at it again. 

Really, all Nico did was show Will’s true self, the one everyone should see. In the painting, Will stood, proud and tall basked in white and blue, the tan of his skin popping off in the ethereal surroundings. The expression he wore was the one Nico knew the best on him. The kind, caring and joyful one, filled with life and so much warmth. 

Nico wanted to show to everyone just who Will actually was and really, he had no idea how he planned to show it to Will without revealing his true feelings because it was evident just how much love and devotion was put into it. But he had no regrets. He wanted to do it. Needed to do it.

The painting still wasn’t done, a good portion of the bottom part missing but the most important part, Will himself, was all set and finished. From his soft, golden curls, to the constellations marking his skin. From his pink lips to the blue, blue, blue of his eyes. From his small dimples to the soft blush. Everything was there, captured with a striking amount of detail and care and so, so beautiful. Just like Will.

“That’s how you see me?”, Will whispered, soft and insecure and close. Too close. 

Nico turned his head to the side, startled by the proximity and the fact that he didn’t notice or hear Will moving. They were standing side to side. Shoulders, arms, hips touching and when Nico turned his head he found that Will was already looking down at him with awe, fondness, admiration. 

He nodded, bangs moving and tickling his cheeks as he did so. His answer was equally quiet, equally soft, “Yeah, just like that.” 

Will nodded, an audible gulp leaving him as he licked his lips ever so slightly. Nico’s eyes were immediately attracted by the motion. So soft, so inviting. The memory of their first and only kiss popped into his brain and that time Nico did nothing to chase it away. In fact, he welcomed it, wondering if he dared to try and relive it. Would Will like that too?

Apparently, yes, seeing as both of them simultaneously started leaning. So slow, so careful, so scared. 

“Will?”, he called quietly. Small, unsure, scared. 

Their eyes connected, a small conversation transpiring right then and just when Nico thought that that was it, Will opened his mouth and blurted probably the worst thing possible at that moment. 

“The arcade!”

Leave it to Will to take the moment and shatter it in unrecognizable shards. Nico leaped back, cheeks, neck, and everything else burning with a bright red blush as he sputtered, “What?” 

Will looked as good as Nico did with his cheeks flaring and eyes wide as he rushed to explain. “The arcade! Us! Let’s go!”

“What? Now?”, Nico asked as he took another step back and tried to regain his composure. 

“No, no, no”, he frantically waved his arms, long limbs flying left and right, “Not right now. I mean, yes, right now. Whenever you’d like to, really. Anytime is fine. And no time. No time is fine too. Yep!”

And really, under any other circumstances, Nico would’ve laughed at him, maybe teased him for all of the awkwardness but he was still trying to calm his heart and get his bearings back after their almost kiss. 

“Just the two of us?”, he checked, voice untrusting, unsure, insecure. 

Will nodded, lips pressed tight and eyes still wide, staring, looking, waiting. 

Nico looked down, wiped his hands off his jeans only to have them doing something before curling them into fists, and looking back up again with a weak smile. “Sure”, he agreed with a shrug.

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Great!”, Will cheered and Nico could swear that he heard him breathing out a sigh of relief as he did so. “It’ll be awesome. You’ll see.”

“No doubt here, Sunshine”, Nico couldn’t help but chuckle as he grabbed his stuff from the floor and gestured towards the door, “Ready to go?”

“Yep”, he nodded before making his way over to it. “Coming?”, he checked as he turned around to look at Nico again.

He quickly covered the painting with the protective sheet, careful not to ruin anything as he did so and then ran after Will, “Yeah, yeah.”

The two of them started making their way out, through the corridors and down the stairs. The place was empty as was most of the campus grounds. It only then occurred to Nico that it was Friday and Fridays only meant one thing: parties. 

He shivered at the thought of them. All the noise, the crowd, the alcohol. Not his scene.

“So”, he started as a way to redirect his thoughts from all of the past bad experiences with too much alcohol and even more pinning, “When would you like to go?”

Will looked at him, for a second seeming confused before his eyes shined with recognition, “The arcade? Any time really. You?”

“Same. Not like I have a lot of stuff to occupy my time.”

“How about tonight then?”, Will asked and if Nico didn’t know better he’d say that he sounded a bit shy but it must’ve been his ears playing tricks on him. 

“Tonight? Do they even work at night?”, he frowned.

“Yeah, Hazel is going out so we can have some fun instead of having you mope around the apartment”, he teased with a soft nudge on his shoulder.

“I don’t mope”, Nico quickly swatted him away, couldn’t help the small smile that threatened to appear any second then.

“Sure you don’t, Death Boy. And don’t worry about the time. I know a place”, the statement was followed by a wink that promptly made Nico blush and divert his gaze. 

“Yeah, sure. Okay, then tonight”, he quickly agreed.

“Really?”, Will gasped. 

It was then that Nico noticed that they were next to his bike. It felt weird, having it back, riding across the city and all but Nico would’ve lied if he said that it didn’t make him feel good, not to mention how much he missed his baby. 

He and Leo did a detailed check once he finally decided to take it back from his parents. The bike was in tip-top condition with some added and improved features, all thanks to Leo who was more than happy to help him and work on it. 

The first couple of times were scary and filled with hesitance but Nico quickly eased back into it which made him wonder how in the world did he manage that long without his precious vehicle.   
“Really”, he confirmed as he grabbed the helmet.

“Great, great, great”, Will quickly mumbled before clapping his hands and jumping up a bit, seemingly very eager, “I’ll send you the location then?”

“Sure?”, he couldn’t help but be confused by Will’s behavior. Not that Will wasn’t usually weird but that was some other level. “Does 7 sound okay?”, he suggested, thinking if he’d have enough time to shower and get ready as he checked his watch.

“7 sounds perfect”, Will accepted before clapping his hands once again, “You can come on your own, or I can pick you up?”

“I’ll take the bike but thanks.”

“Okay then. I’ll text you the location as soon as I get back”, he repeated as he took a step back, followed by another one.

“You came with your car right?”, he checked, watching Will retreat. 

“I did, no worries.”

“7 o’clock, Sunshine, don’t be late”, he reminded, knowing fully well how his best friend could be.

“It’s a date, Death Boy”, he chuckled as he waved and then fully turned around and all but sprinted away, his figure retreating at speed Nico had never seen before.

It didn’t really hit Nico what exactly went down until he was halfway back home. His brain started replaying the entire conversation without much thought but simply for the fact that he was bored during the drive when he needed to slam on the breaks because he got too shocked that he almost crashed into a car in front of him. 

“Holy shit”, he whispered in complete and utter disbelief. Did he hear it wrong? Did Will say the wrong thing and that's why he ran away? If he didn’t then did he mean it or did he mean for it to be a friendly date?

But Will never used a phrase like that before. Ever. Nico couldn’t recall a single time when Will used the word date in the same sentence as Nico. It wasn’t his thing so that must mean…

“Holy shit”, he repeated, dazed to the point where the cars around him started to honk to get him to move.

He sped through the streets and to his apartment as fast as he could, pushing past Cerberus who was eagerly waiting for him by the door.

“Hazel?”, he called as he struggled to get his boots off. “Hazel?”

A bark from Cerberus was all he got in return. His old friend circled his feet and then quickly leaped up and leaned on Nico’s chest to bark in his face before rushing towards the kitchen.

Nico followed suit only to find a note on the fridge.

‘Went out earlier than I thought. Lunch/dinner is in the fridge. Back tomorrow, love you’, it read.

With a groan, Nico kicked, fast and hard which brought him no good seeing as his foot collided with the hard metal fridge. He yelped, followed by a hiss and a bit of silly jumping around as he tried not to step on his foot and get his phone out. 

He quickly scrolled through his contacts. Help was needed, that much was certain. On the small chance that Will really did mean it, Nico wanted to be ready, and being ready required having nice clothes at least. 

Calling Hazel was a no. She’d kill him if he ended up interrupting something. He wasn’t going to call his other friends either seeing as they were much closer to Will than him and he didn’t need them making fun of him or, worse, ratting him out. So that left only one person.

“Super Sized McShizzle speaking. How may I help your gloominess?”, Leo greeted with a fake posh accent which was certainly interesting considering that he normally had a Spanish undertone as it is.

“Leo”, he began with a gulp, “I need help.”

“Is it your bike? Did you crash again?”, Leo fussed, metal clanking and shuffling on the other end, “You know that I hate hiding stuff from Hazel.”

“It’s not the bike, Leo. It’s Will.”

“Did you guys have another fight?”, he demanded, exasperated and annoyed and Nico couldn’t blame him one bit. 

“He asked me out!”, Nico finally blurted. Loud and rushed and giddy for the first time since the realization settled. “Will. On a date. Tonight.”

“He did?”, and Nico couldn’t even find it in himself to scold Leo for the skepticism he didn’t even try to hide. 

“Yes.”

“How? Why? How?”, he repeated.

And so Nico told him, from the moment he entered the studio, to the almost kiss and the entire date thing in the parking lot. He thought that he managed to make a trail in the carpet by the time he was done, his legs moving non-stop, pacing back and forth with Cerberus as a trusty spectator. 

“And you need help with what? I’m not exactly the right person to ask”, Leo pointed out while Nico took a break to gather himself again and breathe for a change. 

“At least help me pick what to wear, Leo”, he begged, “You’re better at it than I am.”

“A-ha! So you admit it?”

He rolled his eyes, “Yeah, yeah. Sure. Will you help me now?”

“Don’t worry. Uncle Leo got you”, he reassured, his voice oddly mischievous and making Nico fear what was to come.

Uncle Leo did in fact get him. In no time Leo had an outfit for him suggested with some additional advice for how to act and what to expect and most importantly, “Do not be gloomy. Gloomy people don’t get laid.”

And with those wise words, Leo hung up, leaving Nico to fend for himself.

Next on the schedule was a quick meal which wasn’t even half-eaten by the time he was finished, his stomach feeling far too queasy to take more. He took a quick shower, very aware of the time ticking by and the impending doom it brought with it.

He did, however, take his time to carefully wash his hair, making sure to use the nice stuff Leo gifted him and to actually properly brush it. With his hair all set and air drying, he stalked back to his room where Cerberus dutifully guarded his clothes in case the bad guys came and decided to steal it.

He patted his head before turning towards the mirror and starting to dress. Nico had to admit that he felt proud of himself as he did so. Not for the fact that he was going on a date with Will, even though it had a lot to do with it, but for the fact that his body didn’t disgust him anymore.

Sure, it was still filled with scars, some of which would never go away, a permanent reminder of what happened. But his ribs were no longer poking through, and he wasn’t wrapped up in badges from head to toe. He even managed to get in shape a bit, with his muscles shaping quite nicely, making his tattoos look even better. 

For the first time in years, he looked and actually felt healthy and he was high by the mere thought of it. He never thought he could feel that good.

The clothes Leo picked weren’t much different than his regular one. Gray, ripped jeans were stuffed into his combat boots, looking quite well with the tight-fitting, plain white shirt over which he wore his best leather jacket, much nicer than his aviator one. He even changed some of the piercings, hoping that Will would notice the earrings he got Nico for his birthday two years ago.

With a quick pat-down at the door and another check of Will’s text with the location, Nico left the apartment and raced down the stairs. He cringed when he realized that all his efforts with his hair were for nothing seeing as he had to put a helmet on his head but he didn’t have the time to dwell on that as he straddled his bike and headed for the arcade.

True to Will’s words, the place really did work and it seemed pretty packed too. Nico parked in the first free spot he found, his heart pounding as he took the helmet off. He gripped it for a bit, eyes falling shut and lungs filling with long, steadying breaths. He could do it. It was just Will. Just his best friend. Nothing scary about it. 

With a weak resolve and even weaker steps, Nico walked towards the front where Will said he would be waiting. Sure enough, there he was. Long legs clad in tight blue jeans, making his ass look damn fine and blood rush to Nico’s cheeks. The yellow button-down made his eyes pop out even more as Will smiled at him with a cheerful wave.

Despite his nerves, Nico smiled back, returning the wave and joining him. From that close, he could smell the cologne Will was wearing.

“Hope you didn’t wait for too long”, he apologized, well aware of the fact that he had been running late the entire time.

Will only snorted with a casual wave, “Don’t worry about it. You’re worth it.”

The comment made Nico blush but he didn’t even have the time to gather himself before Will attacked him again. 

“You look nice”, he mused as he scanned him from head to toe, making Nico squirm and shy away from the imploring gaze.

“You too”, was all he managed to say. He cursed his awkwardness, as well as the violent flush he knew, was coloring his cheeks. 

“Think so?”, Will asked, unphased and so painfully casual as he gave him a twirl, blue eyes shining behind the curls that fell gently down his face and made Nico want to reach out and brush them away. 

Nico nodded but couldn’t manage anything else. That seemed to be enough for Will who gave him one more smile before grabbing his hand and tugging him. 

“Well, we’re not going to spend our time out here. Let’s go and have some fun. I can’t wait to beat your ass.”

“Beat my ass, huh?”, a slow, cocky smirk was set on his face as he intertwined their fingers in a moment of boldness, earning himself some nice rosy cheeks in return. One thing anyone should know about Nico and that was: never, ever, ever think that you could beat him at a game of any kind. Will clearly forgot about that. “We’ll see about that, Sunshine.”

Will laughed, loud and clear and so, so refreshing that it took Nico a second to stop staring and start focusing on where they were and what they were doing. The arcade was bustling with activity, the sound of laughter, and different games filling the big space as the entire thing shone in different shades of neon light and screen savers.

“It’s on, Death Boy”, Will declared, a hand outstretched towards Nico with change filling it as he gestured at the machine behind him with the other one, “How about you show me what you got?”

“Fine.”

Nico quickly grabbed some of it, inserting it into the machine. Alien Destruction 4. Will was going to eat dirt, he thought as the game started and his focus was solely on it, completely missing the fond and love-struck look Will was giving him the entire time.

True to Nico’s words, Will did, in fact, eat dirt. And a lot of it. Too much probably. But he didn’t seem to mind getting beaten at each game they chose and especially not after they drew a tie on the DDR matches they played and they played a lot.

They were walking side by side, giggling and laughing the entire time as they poked and pushed each other around and between the different machines. It was the most fun Nico had in what felt like an eternity. It felt even better than before everything happened, much more carefree, joyful, childlike. 

One thing he did notice though was Will or, more precisely, his behavior. The entire time, he used every opportunity possible to touch Nico in some way. It didn’t matter if it was holding his hand to take him to the next game or just a casual arm around the shoulder or a simple brush of their fingertips, the contact remained and Nico would lie if he said that he didn’t enjoy it despite the constant blush that followed.

In fact, it gave him a boost of courage to do the same. Small, subtle things. Things he did not dare do before but felt bold enough to do at that moment. Brushing Will’s hair out of his face, holding him and guiding whenever he didn’t understand the way the game worked, or simply hugging him after each successful win. 

He was ecstatic, buzzing with excitement and giddiness and so, so in love. Even his cheeks started to hurt from how much he was smiling but he couldn’t care because Will was smiling too and Will was holding his hand and swinging it between them as they walked with an undetermined goal.

“When did you get so good at that?”, Will demanded as they were discussing their dance-off at which Nico simply shrugged.

“Some stuff are meant to stay a secret”, he couldn’t help but tease, feeling embarrassed by the real truth behind his improvement.

“Well whatever it is”, Will made them stop before moving so that he was facing Nico directly, “I’m not complaining. Much. Definitely made this one of the best dates ever.”

And he...he looked nervous! Cheeks flushed, lip wedged between his teeth, feet shuffling as he waited and waited and waited and Nico couldn’t stop staring because Will was fucking embarrassed and shy and so fucking adorable that all he wanted was to smolder him in hugs and kisses and focus Nico. Focus.

“So it is a date?”, Nico finally gasped. 

Will nodded, slow and careful. “Yeah, um. Yeah. I-I mean if you want it to be? It doesn't have to be. It can be just a hangout, ya know? All cool either way. I totally get it”, he laughed, painfully fake, awkward, and uncomfortable. 

Nico shook his head as a fond smile made its way on his lips. He took Will’s hands into his own, took a step closer, “I’d love that.”

“Really?”, Will checked, ever so hesitant. 

“Really”, he promised as he rubbed slow circles with his thumbs which seemingly did wonders in helping Will relax and melt in his hold. “Okay?”

“Yeah, okay”, Will nodded as he squeezed his hands back and smiled down at him. 

“Okay”, he repeated because he didn’t know what else to say and not ruin the tender moment they managed to build. And just as he caught Will glancing down, undoubtedly at his lips, he started to lean in a bit closer, and then Will had to ruin it again.

“Let’s get some photos!”

“Photos?”, Nico asked, feeling defeated and disappointed once again. 

“Yep! At the booth! Let’s go!” And before Nico found the time to react, Will started tugging him away again, navigating through the arcade and past the loud machines with ease and bringing them to the photo booth. 

“After you, my angel”, Will offered as he opened the door and stepped aside. 

Nico flicked his nose but did as he was told, settling on the bench which was far too small to accommodate two adult men comfortably which proved to be true as Will wiggled his way in and closed the booth behind himself, effectively muffling the sound of the arcade and making them a little bubble of their own.

True enough, the second Will lowered himself on the bench their problem became apparent. No matter how much he pushed, twisted, or turned, both of them simply could not fit without one of them poking the other with his elbow or knee.

Nico watched Will as the other huffed and muttered something underneath his breath with an amused smile before sighing and tapping his shoulder. “I don’t think that it’s going to get any better, Will.”

“It was before, it’s going to be now”, Will grumbled with determination.

“It was when we were sixteen.”

“So?”

“Two teenagers can fit but two adult men? Really?”, he rolled his eyes.

Will stopped and fixed him with a glare, “Are you saying that I got fat?”

“What? No!”, he immediately defended, “No, you look better than ever but I’m just saying that it’s not the same. Besides we can still take these pictures like this. It’s just a couple of minutes. We can deal with it.”

“That or”, Will began, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he stretched the ‘r’, “You could change your seat.”

“Change my seat?”, he questions. All he got in return was a meaningful look and a pat on Will’s lap. Nico’s eyes widened as he looked up at him again, his head immediately shaking, “Na-ah. No way.”

“Don’t be like that, Death Boy. Besides, it’s much more comfortable than the bench.”

“Don’t care. Not doing it”, he concluded as he turned his head and crossed his arms. It wasn’t that he didn't want to but even the thought made him feel embarrassed and he wasn’t sure if he would be able to survive the entire thing.

Well, it seemed like Will was sure seeing as Nico felt himself being lifted and placed on Will’s lap before he could even gather himself enough to yelp.

“What the fuck, Will?”, he demanded as one of his hands held Will’s shoulder to steady himself, an annoyed glare set in place despite the heat that was making its way up his neck and face.

“You’re welcome”, was all Will said as he fiddled with the settings. 

Nico huffed an annoyed breath but made no move to leave his new spot. In fact, he only shifted just a bit to make himself more comfortable before running a hand through his bangs and muttering, “High school me would’ve lost his shit if he saw this.”

Will looked up at him, the blue wide and curious as he whispered, “Really?”

Nico averted his gaze, twisted his ring. “Yeah, um. Really.”

He received no response, just Will silently observing him for a second longer and then returning to whatever it was that he was doing. He leaned back a couple of moments after and wrapped arms around Nico’s narrow waist. “We have two minutes.” 

Nico nodded, feeling as if his tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth as he avoided looking at his best friend. 

“Did you really like me back then?”, Will suddenly asked.

The question startled Nico but despite his surprise, he managed to nod. He wet his lips which were suddenly drier than every dessert in the world before answering, “Remember how my crush on Percy just stopped?”

“Yeah?”, he sounded confused and if it wasn’t for the awkwardness of the entire conversation Nico would have laughed. “What about it?”

“You might have something to do with it?”, he sheepishly said, feeling ridiculous as he turned around and tried to hide his red face from Will. 

“It was hard”, he continued, back still turned, feeling the need to fill the silence that settled as he played with a hole on his jeans, “Accepting it and not feeling weird every time we hung out but no matter what I did I couldn’t deny it. It hurt for a while, knowing that I wouldn’t be able to do anything about it but just having you with me was enough to forget about everything else.”

He heard the shutter click. 

“And sometimes all I wanted was to shout at you to look at me but I knew that it wouldn’t be okay, no matter how much I wanted you to notice me”, he chuckled sadly, the painful memories from all those years ago resurfacing and biting him back.

Click.

He felt a gentle hand guiding his head around, holding his chin ever so softly as if he was going to shatter by anything else. 

“I always noticed you”, Will said. The way he said it, sincere, honest, and just a little pained, made Nico gasp as he looked down at him. They were close. Much closer than Nico thought they would be once again. 

And once again he caught Will looking at his lips and leaning in but that time he didn’t shy away, he didn’t change his mind, he didn’t ruin it.

Click.

“You were everything I ever saw”, was the final thing Will whispered, soft lips brushing Nico’s before they were claimed.

Click.

The kiss started off soft, careful, cautious but quickly turned into something desperate, needy, greedy. Will’s hand quickly found its way into Nico’s hair, tugging and twisting and angling Nico’s head in the just perfect position as the other arm held on tight where it was still placed around his waist.

Nico held Will’s face tightly between his palms, thumbs brushing and fingers moving, tracing his cheeks and feeling the heat of them. He twisted his body, faced Will better, pushed harder.

The kiss was somehow better than their first one. It made Nico’s whole body buzz with a desperate need to get Will closer, deepen the kiss, never let go. He gasped into it the second he felt Will respond with equal if not bigger amounts of enthusiasm as his tongue slipped past Nico’s chapped lips.

Click.

Nico couldn’t do anything else but let Will take the lead, responding and following the best he could, and if the small whimper was anything to go by he was doing a good job. It made him so incredibly, unbelievably happy that he started smiling into the kiss, so much so that Will suddenly broke it off.

He, too, was smiling. Wide and shiny and so adorably boyish as he tenderly held Nico’s face with his hands, blue eyes locked with dark ones and shinningshinningshinning. He looked at Nico like nobody ever did. As if he was the most precious thing in the world. Eyes filled with clear fondness, absolute adoration, pure love. 

Click.

Something shifted and Nico didn’t feel happy. No, he felt terrified like never before.

It was all happening so fast. Too fast. Just a couple of days prior Will rejected his offers to simply hang out using the most ridiculous excuse he could find. Just like he had been doing ever since they reconciled. 

It felt surreal, too good, impossible. He wasn’t ready for that. Wasn’t ready for a shift so sudden, so big, so extreme.

Nico’s whole body started to shake as he pushed himself off and stumbled out. 

Will’s smile immediately fell, hurt flashing for just a second on his face before it got replaced by worry.

“Death Boy?”

But Nico couldn’t respond. All he felt was pain and betrayal which he did not know the source of. He shook his head as tears started to gather at the corners of his eyes, brain buzzing so much that he couldn’t form a clear thought.

“W-what’s wrong?”, Will tried again as he slowly got up but Nico gave him no time to approach him. Instead, he ran. As fast and as far as he could. Out of the arcade, onto the parking lot, towards his bike.

By the time Will managed to catch up, Nico was already driving away angry and bitter and so painfully hurt and confused despite the regret opening a pit in his stomach. He thought he was ready. He thought that was it.

But turns out he simply could not do it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey y'all! so sorry for missing a week, I'm sick and last week I couldn't even think properly let alone update, but good news is that I *finally* finished writing the entire thing so maybe I'll post the next chapter sooner than expected, take care <3


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me? updating twice in one week? you bet your sweet ass that I am. the next two chapters will come early too (next one in two days)

You know those movies where the girl gets her heart broken so she stuffs her entire face with her weight in ice cream to make it hurt less and cries her soul out while doing so? Will used to make fun of those movies. A lot. As in, he couldn’t even understand why someone would do that. He couldn't even understand why would someone be that heartbroken let alone why would they cry and eat ice cream and why even ice cream? Why wasn’t it something else?

Well, he got his answers when he got dumped for the first time...and every time after that. And his date with Nico was no exception.

“I thought he’d be happy”, Will cried as he took another spoonful of the only ice cream Lou had in her fridge which would be bubble gum. Why she liked that monstrosity was beyond him but he had no other choice and it was better than drinking the shitty wine she and Miranda were drinking at that moment.

“Instead he bailed out on me”, he continued, mouth full of the pink ice cream. The fake bubble gum aroma filled his senses and easily became his least favorite thing in the world. If he wasn’t so busy while crying over his date being ruined he would cry over the flavor for sure. He swallowed it and went for another mouthful after that but not without adding, “This tastes disgusting.”

“Then give it back”, Lou snapped, probably sick of his whining and him ruining her ice cream but she should know better than to try and stop him. He held eye contact as he stuffed his face with it, earning himself an eye roll as she sagged against Miranda’s side. 

Testing Lou’s patience probably wasn’t the best thing he could’ve done at that moment but really, Will didn’t care much. What he thought of as the most important date of his life and hopefully the one that would allow him to start sailing the romantic waters of his relationship with his best friend turned into the world’s worst disaster by far. 

Out of all of the outcomes, Nico looking at him as if he told him that his family died, and then running out of the arcade wasn’t something Will thought would end up happening. 

Will felt sick just by remembering that moment. Sick but also so incredibly hurt. He thought Nico would be happy, that he’d be into it, that they were having a lot of fun because all of the smiles, the touches, the looks said so. Will couldn’t even remember the last time either of them was that happy or had that much fun together but there they were. Will with a container of bubble gum ice cream in his lap as he sobbed in front of Lou and her girlfriend and Nico God knew where.

He absentmindedly ran his fingers over the place where his mark used to be. Nico wouldn’t….No, he shook his head, he would never do that. Not to him. A shiver ran down his spine despite his thoughts, anxiety clawing at his heart just the slightest bit. At least he knew how Nico felt each time. 

A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he pushed the ice cream away, no longer feeling the need to fill the aching hole with its sugary horribleness. Instead, he allowed himself to just slide all the way down to the floor and lay sprawled like a starfish as he looked at Lou’s empty ceiling. 

He missed Nico. He was the person that he used to go to whenever he felt hurt as he felt at that moment. He was the person who offered the best comfort, best hugs, best words of encouragement despite his cold and scary demeanor. He just missed everything about him and it wasn’t only due to the fact that Lou was doing a shitty job at comforting him.

That kiss shouldn’t have happened. It was a mistake and Will felt that in his gut the second their lips touched. It was as if he knew deep down in his heart that Nico would react badly to it but he was greedy and he was selfish and really fucking wanted to kiss him. 

His lips tingled from the memory of it but Will ignored the tingles in favor of self-pity. Why did his self-control have to go out of the window each time Nico was involved? Why didn’t he push him away? Why didn’t he do something different than letting himself be consumed by the happiness and euphoria, high on everything that made Nico Nico. 

“I’m such an idiot”, he groaned, hands sliding over his face as he closed his eyes, stomach rolling and tossing from overeating.

“You’re not an idiot. You couldn’t have known that Nico is such a pussy”, Lou reassured and failed miserably at doing anything to make Will feel better.

“Hey, he’s not a pussy!”, he immediately defended. 

“What she meant was”, Miranda rushed to fix, “That you couldn’t have predicted this. He seemed like he was into it?”

“He did”, Will confirmed, remembering the way Nico leaned in, held him, kissed him back. Damn, for his second kiss he sure had skills. 

“There you go”, Miranda smiled before kissing Lou’s cheek and standing up. “I’m going to go and make us some hot chocolate. I feel like all of us could use it.”

Both of them watched as she disappeared in the small kitchen she and Lou had before Lou turned towards him with a love-struck smile. “She’s an angel.”

“I know a better one.”

“Yeah? And yet he still ran out on your date”, Lou fired back. Regret flashed across her face in the next moment but the damage was already done and Will was back in his hole of self-pity and misery he managed to dig out in the short couple of hours since everything happened.

He flopped back down, “Was it too early? Maybe I shouldn’t have said that it was a date? Maybe it scared him and then he felt obligated to kiss me?”, he wondered out loud.

Lou joined him on the floor, neon orange hair spilling on the carpet as she rested her hands on her stomach. She hummed, “This is what you get for letting those two bitches get to you.”

Will thought back to the two bitches in question. Zoë and Artemis to be precise. Seeing them again after so many years felt surreal and Will almost didn’t say anything at all. What was he supposed to say to the people who were at fault for his best friend’s sister dying? Hello? Nice to see you? How are you doing? Heck no.

He even had to keep himself back from spitting into their coffees out of spite. Call it a low blow but Will saw red when the two entered the shop and there wasn’t a way that he managed to mistake them for someone else. They didn’t seem to recognize him which made him glad. Nobody wanted to look like their old, scrawny, 11-year-old self, thank you very much.

He didn’t know what they were asking for in NY. When Bianca died, they left, far away without a trace. Will liked to think that it was the guilt that chased them off. Guilt and regret. It didn’t matter really, he was just happy to not have to look at them any longer. Out of sight, out of mind.

Will took a short moment to take both of them in. They looked older, of course, they did, and his heart ached with the thought that Bianca would’ve been just like them if she was still with them. Besides the obvious, Will also couldn’t help but notice how drained and lifeless both seemed, holding onto each other as if they’d fall apart at any given moment. 

Or maybe that was just his wishful thinking. It wasn’t okay but he still hoped that the guilt ate both of them raw over the years. He for sure knew that he wouldn’t have a moment of peace if Nico...if he…. Will shook his head, chasing the bad thought away but, well, when the seed gets planted, it’s hard to take it out. 

Will shivered and continued with his day but no matter what he did he couldn’t focus. Not with the way his everything screamed and shouted at him. No, he didn’t do the same thing as Zoë. He almost did though and that alone would be chasing him until the rest of his life but what then? 

He was a fool, really. Instead of using the opportunity, instead of being happy with Nico, he was still trying to escape, to hide, to run. Just like a coward, he thought bitterly. He supposed that that was what he became. A coward. 

After all, he still denied Nico all forms of affection, all closeness. He even refused to have their regular movie nights! Who does that? Certainly not someone who was doing better and wanted to make their soulmate happy. No, Will had to do better.

The decision was made even before Will got back to his crappy dorm but the giddiness he felt with it was addicting. A plan formed in his head, excitement bubbling as he began to plan. He wanted to act quickly. He wasted too much time already. He couldn’t spare a second longer. 

And that would be how he ended up asking Nico out the day after. All because he saw the two girls who ruined a part of his and Nico’s life, something he should’ve just brushed off in hindsight but what was done was done and there was no turning back. Will was left with the fruits of his labor which would be intense heartbreak and sadness or so it seemed to Will who slapped Lou’s arm and whined.

“Shut up.”

“You know that I’m right”, she shrugged, playing with a strand of her hair before inspecting her nails. “You knew the risks.”

“He legit asked me to hang out on a daily basis. How was I supposed to know that he would react like this?”, he huffed, crossing his arms as he pouted.

Lou’s answer got cut short by Will’s phone ringing. A small sparkle of hope appeared in his eyes as he dove after it but it was quickly diminished as he read Cecil’s name on the screen. He contemplated not answering at all but seeing as it was a Friday night it meant that Cecil was most likely at a party and he only ever called when he needed help and Will really didn’t need another call from the ER telling him that his friend somehow managed to knock himself unconscious. How Cecil ended up falling off a balcony was beyond him.

He groaned as he pressed the device to his ear. “I’m trying to be miserable. What do you want?”

“You should really come to this party”, Cecil shouted back. The sound of loud music and people cheering reached Will’s ear. Repulsion was the only thing he felt.

“Yeah, um, no? Kinda busy over here”, he mumbled, ready to put an end to the conversation and go back to Lou’s lame excuse of consoling. He told Cecil months ago, back when he found out who his soulmate was, that his partying days were over and that the only exception would be Nico going with him. He didn’t like parties much anyway.

“Dude, you really need to come”, Cecil begged, undeniably drunk off his mind. The guy had the biggest tolerance ever.

“Are you hurt?”, he asked, just wanting to make sure that Cecil didn’t actually need him. He rolled his eyes at Lou who shot him an exasperated look. 

“No, but Nico isn’t doing that well.”

The words instantly caught Will’s attention. He shot up, blue eyes wide as Lou joined him, probably sensing his panic as she demanded that he put Cecil on the speakerphone. He obeyed.

“Nico? What does he have to do with anything?” Cecil didn’t know about his disaster date. He couldn’t have known. Lou was the only person he told and that was only because he immediately went to her place so he could have a nice cry over everything. He didn’t have the time to tell Cecil.

“Yeah!”, Cecil cheered, oblivious to Will’s panic as he rambled on, “I found him at the bar! Didn’t know he’d be here. Thought you’d come too but I couldn’t find you anywhere. You would’ve liked it. It’s not late to join.”

“Cecil”, Will pressed, trying to steer the conversation to the things that mattered, “Focus. Where is he right now?” 

Nico being at a party and being alone was not good. Not good at all. The guy hated parties and drinking with all his might! His tolerance was shit as well. Will couldn’t remember the last time Nico drank more than a glass of wine. Worry settled in his gut as he started pacing in the living room, different scenarios running through his mind. 

“Oh, he’s next to me”, Cecil replied easily, “Passed out after he threw up.”

“He threw up?” Will was going to be the one who was going to pass out.

“After he attempted to fight Dakota”m he continued, “But don’t worry. I had it covered. Avoided a real problem right there.”

Okay, Will had to breathe like the day before that. Focus, in and out. “Send me the address”, was the last thing he said before hanging up and rushing towards the door.

“Need me to come with you?”, Lou asked as she ran down the stairs with him.

Will shook his head, checked his phone to see if Cecil texted him yet. “No, I can handle it.”

“Are you sure?”, she fussed and that was a new one. 

“I’m sure, Lou. I don’t know what’s going on with him but I can’t leave him alone. It’s Nico.”  
She gave him a knowing look followed by an encouraging pat on the shoulder, “Don’t do anything stupid.”

“When did I do that?”, he shot back just as he got a notification of a new text. Lou opted not to answer, only turning on her heel and going back in, and Will thought that that was for the best as he slipped into his car, desperate to reach the location as fast as he could. 

Luckily, Will knew exactly where Cecil was. He should’ve expected it, really. It was one of the frat houses they visited quite often, the one with the loudest and wildest parties he had been on and Cecil’s favorite one. How did Nico end up there was a mystery to Will but he didn’t have much time to think about it as he parked his car and jumped out, all but running into the house.

The air was stuffy, the smell of alcohol and sweat reaching him as he immediately started to feel hot due to all of the body heat. People crowded all of the rooms, some of them laying passed out on the floor, some still attempting to stand, some even looking at him with interest as he tried to navigate the space, ignoring all of the looks.

Memories of all of the drunken nights, all of the dancing, and the companies he ended up with flooded him but Will chased them away as best as he could. He wasn’t really ashamed of himself, his body was his business, but he felt sick just by the thought of all of the pain that Nico had to go through because of them. 

Will shook his head, forcing his mind to focus on the task at hand which was to find Nico and get him the fuck out of that place. 

Finding Cecil wasn’t really as hard as he expected it to be. He seemed happy as he nursed one of the red solo cups, sitting in the corner next to Nico who was lying face down on the table, completely out of it. He cheerfully waved at Will, offering another cup to him as the other ran to his side, worried and angry at the same time. 

“Kind busy over here, buddy”, he rejected the cup in favor of slipping his hands underneath Nico’s armpits and lifting him up. His head lolled to the side, lips slightly parted, eyes shut. Will checked his breathing and it was like high school all over again. Will missed those times.

“Death Boy, Death Boy”, he reprimanded the passed out man before wrapping his arm around Nico’s waist and hauling him up. Instantly, he stumbled, almost taking both of them down if it wasn’t for Cecil who managed to keep him upright.

“Thanks, man”, he shot him a grateful smile as he tried to figure out what to do.

“No problem”, Cecil saluted before taking a sip of his drink, “Need a hand?”

“Yeah, actually. Hold him for me for a second.” He passed Nico over to Cecil who seemed to have no trouble with performing the task, holding Nico up and carefully observing. 

Will took a moment to steady himself before he went for it again, that time lifting Nico up bridal style. Nico’s head rested on Will’s shoulder, his breath hot against his neck, as Will made sure he held on tight and secure. Nico didn’t even stir so that was an indicator as to how out of it he actually was.

“Whatcha gonna do now?”

“I’m going to take him back to his place”, Will explained as he looked down at his sleeping friend again, desperate to make sure that the other was okay, “Thanks for calling me.”

“No problem”, Cecil patted his shoulder as he pushed himself away from the table, examining the room, “Figured you’d want to know and all.” Despite being an idiot, Cecil was actually a good friend. Will really had to pay him back for that one.

With careful but purposeful steps, Will made his way out. The night air was fresh and cold and felt pleasant on his skin which was already far too heated from just spending twenty minutes inside. A shiver ran down his spine but Nico seemed unaffected by the cold, only nuzzling Will’s neck and pressing closer but otherwise remaining asleep. 

He put Nico in the passenger’s seat, careful to strap him in and make sure that everything was secure and comfortable before taking his own spot and starting the car. He didn’t put on any music, lost in his head far too much to care about the quiet that settled. 

They reached Nico’s apartment fairly quickly. He couldn’t help but groan when he realized that he had to carry Nico all the way up but one glance at his sleeping figure was enough for him to forget all of the workout that he’d get by doing so. 

It wasn’t until they reached Nico’s place and Will put him down to fish out the keys that Nico started to stir. Will cursed as he rummaged his pockets, frustrated that he couldn’t find the damn keys. Nico gave him a copy when he first moved in, saying that it was only right. To Will, it was both logical and flattering but right then he understood that it was a much bigger deal than he made it out to be. He really had to make up to Nico for that one.

“Ugh”, Nico groaned from his spot by the door where he was leaning heavily on the wall with Will holding him up. “Fuck….”

“Sorry, sorry”, Will mumbled as he watched him rub his eyes, expression sour and pained. “Just a second.”

A triumph smile spread across Will’s lips when he finally found what he had been looking for. Will breathed a sigh of relief as he unlocked the door, whooping as he started to make some progress. He wrapped his arm around Nico again, pulling him flush against his side and walking him in before closing the door. 

Nico stumbled on his feet, swaying and staggering as he attempted to stand still as Will took off his shoes. Will led him to his room, gently settling him down on the bed and then crouching down to take his boots off.

“Thanks for helping me”, Nico began, his words slurred as he attempted to focus on Will but couldn’t manage. His pupils were blown wide as he blinked down at him, “But you should know that I’m not interested.”

Will froze. He blinked up at him in confusion until his brain caught up. He thought…. ”I’m just trying to put you in bed, promise”, Will chuckled, amused by his best friend’s action. Just how out of it was he? His worry got replaced by curiosity. He really shouldn’t but…

“Okay then”, Nico easily agreed before he flopped down on the bed. 

He finished what he had started, pulling the boots off and tossing them in the corner of the room before standing up and grabbing some comfier clothes for both him and Nico. “Arms up”, he instructed.

“So bossy”, the other mumbled but still did as he was told, sitting up and raising his arms. “Reminds me of my Sunshine.”

Will decided that it was a perfect opportunity to strike. He played along, “Who’s that?”

“He’s my soulmate”, Nico explained as Will tugged his shirt off and started putting another one on, “And also my best friend.”

Will’s hand jerked at the words, heart missing a beat before settling at its usual pace. To think that Nico thought the latter was much more important was unexpected. “Yeah?”, he stuttered out, “Means a lot to you?”

“The world”, Nico confessed, all sincerity and seriousness and Will flushed from head to toe. “Bet he hates me now”, he said next, shoulders slumping and eyes turning sad and all Will wanted to do was hug him but he couldn’t break character. Not then.

“Why would he hate you?”, he questioned as he helped Nico tug his jeans off. 

“Got scared. Left him on our date”, Nico explained before he tossed the sweatpants Will was offering him and got under the covers, eyes trained on the ceiling as he kept quiet.

“Was that why you went to the party?”, Will joined him on the bed, settling on the edge as his fingers itched to reach out and brush the hair out of Nico’s face.

He nodded, small and looking so childlike as he buried his face in the pillow. Will sighed, threw all of the cautions out of the window, and reached out to run his hand through Nico’s hair and get the bangs away from his eyes so he could really look at him.

His cheeks were flushed from the alcohol, eyes still unfocused, skin sweaty. 

“He doesn’t hate you”, he reassured, “He could never hate you.”

“He should”, Nico grumbled, buried his face in the soft blanket Leo got him as a present a couple of years back, “I was a jerk.”

“And so was he”, Will couldn’t help but agree.

Nico frowned. “Don’t talk about him like that”, he threatened as if he was ready to get up and fight him right then and there despite not even being able to stand up on his own.

Will chuckled, “Sorry.”

A yawn escaped Nico’s lips as he lazily blinked up at him, looking like a tired kitten. 

“You should sleep”, Will stood up, went to tuck Nico in a bit better but was stopped by a hand on his wrist.

“You really meant that?”

“Meant what?”, Will asked, brows furrowing in confusion as he went to sit down again.

Nico hesitated for a moment, looking scared and unsure of where he was going with it. After a couple of seconds, he elaborated in slow words, as if it was really important for Will to understand him. “That he doesn’t hate me?”

“He could never.”

“But what if he does?”, Nico pressed, words still slurred but oh, so desperate, “I hurt him. I just left him there.”

“Nico”, Will shook his head with a sad sigh. His heart was torn, aching and screaming and bleeding right then and there. Even after everything, that wonderful, precious man was still scared of hurting Will. “Sleep. We’ll talk more about this in the morning”, he shushed.

But Nico still held tight, still looked at him with those big, dark eyes, begging and pleading. “Don’t leave.”

“Hey, it’s okay”, he reassured, words soft and warm as he stroked Nico’s cheek with his free hand, “I’m not going anywhere ever again. I promise.”

That seemed to satisfy the other as he slowly nodded then dropped Will’s wrist in favor of nuzzling his head into his palm. In a matter of seconds, he was out like a light. Will sat there for a moment longer before leaning down and pressing a loving kiss onto his forehead.

“Sweet dreams, Death Boy”, he whispered. 

Will made sure to leave a bottle of painkillers and water on Nico’s nightstand before settling down himself. He didn’t feel much like sleeping, not with everything that happened that night repeating in his mind, Nico’s words ringing and echoing.

He took a spot on the couch, some of Nico’s comfier clothes on, and his own date clothes discarded on the floor as he snuggled underneath his favorite blanket. He meant what he said. He wasn’t going anywhere. Not that time, not ever. 

With those words in mind, Will let his eyes fall shut, determined to keep his promise as he thought of his best friend. Even shitface drunk, Nico still managed to make him feel like a lovestruck fool, all giddy and gooey and sickly in love. 

All of his insecurities and doubts were wiped away by Nico’s drunken rambling. Whatever he had been going through, he didn’t hate Will, didn’t want him away. If anything, he seemed pretty scared of losing him and that thought alone was enough to prompt Will to finally, finally put an end to the chase they’ve been a part of for way too long. 

Tomorrow, he told himself. We've waited long enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope y'all are ready bc we only have one more chapter left and then the epilogue and I'm so excited to show it to everyone


	25. Chapter 25

Nico didn’t miss his drunken partying from high school the least bit. Sure it was fun but it usually ended up with him getting into a fight, throwing up, or being sick the morning after. Coincidentally, he was going through all of that.

He winced followed by a sharp intake of breath as he jolted awake. His head was already pounding and Nico was ready to beg anyone to just knock him out and leave him to die right then and there. His stomach was tossing and turning, a bad taste lingering in his mouth and making him feel even sicker.

Blinking himself awake, he spotted a water bottle on the nightstand and without much hesitation reached for it, downing half of its content in one go before he flopped back down. He still felt uneasy but at least the bad taste was partially gone. He’d definitely need to brush his teeth if he wanted it gone completely.

It took a while for his brain to kick start but once it did there wasn’t stopping the whirlwind of emotions that ran through him. Fuck, shit, the day before sure was something.

Everything he felt from then came back. The fear, the confusion, the happiness, the horror, the anxiety, the desperation which in the end prompted him to run away and stumble around until he spotted a text in the group chat. Cecil was raving on about a party and getting ignored by anyone as per usual but something about it caught Nico’s eye and wouldn’t leave him until he eventually ended up going there.

All he remembered was how he stumbled into the full house, searching for any kind of distraction and relief and finding it at a bar. Stuff became a blur after his third round of whatever it was that was in the red solo cups but he distinctly remembered trying to fight someone and if he wasn’t mistaken that someone looked a lot like Dakota.

“Oh, fuck”, he groaned as he ran his hands over his face, trying to chase the sleep and everything else away, desperate to wake up fully and figure out what was he supposed to do.

Suddenly, he remembered someone taking him away and bringing him to some bed where they helped him take off his clothes. He shot up, eyes wide, feeling himself down until he made sure he was fully dressed albeit in something more comfortable. A sigh of relief left him, at least he didn’t mess up that bad but going to that party was bad enough. Not like he did anything wrong though if you count out getting drunk and trying to fight.

Upon further inspection, he realized that the clothes he wore were his own and just a second later it dawned on him that he was in his own room. His eyebrows furrowed until a mortified expression crossed his face. 

It wasn’t just about anyone who took him away. No. The more his brain fog cleared out, the more he remembered the face of his savior. Blond hair that shone golden in the right light, blue eyes bright and rivaling any sky, freckles that were prettier than entire galaxies of stars. Will.

He gulped. 

It couldn’t be Will. There was no way. He didn’t even know that he was there and even if he did he wouldn’t help. Not after what he did. 

Nico shook his head, refusing to believe what he knew deep down was undeniably true as he wrestled the sheets and stood up. There was only one way to make sure. 

With quiet footsteps, he ventured out. 

The apartment was eerily silent. Not a thing besides Cerberus’ snoring could be heard. Nico held his breath for a moment longer before he dared to go further in. The living room and the kitchen were empty and so was the bathroom. 

“Thank God”, he mumbled as he leaned against the bathroom door frame. 

It still didn’t answer his question as to how he made his way back but literally, anything was better than Will bringing him. He didn’t think that he would dare look him in the eyes after everything. Not after he acted like such an idiot. 

Seeing no better choice, he decided to just go ahead and shower. His skin felt crusty and he could smell the lingering smell of the party on himself which did nothing to help with his hangover. Opting for a cold shower, he jumped in, his clothes discarded on a messy pile on the floor.

As soon as the usual smell of mint shampoo reached his nose, he felt himself relax. He sighed, shoulders sagging as the tension slowly left him. However, the tension was quick to return the more the thought about the night before. 

Stuff just wasn’t adding up. It had to be Will. He knew that he was out of his mind but he wouldn’t mistake him for someone else ever. Sure, from what came back, he knew that he didn’t really recognize him during their small talk but thinking back on it then he was positive that it was Will.

The memory of their talk made tingles run down his spine and butterflies squirm in his stomach. Will had been so gentle and careful, chasing Nico’s fears and demons away with his sweet words and reassuring smiles. He couldn’t help but smile a bit at the memory. 

But why wasn’t he there then? Will would never leave. Not even if they had a fight. He always stayed and made sure that he was okay.

Perhaps he had been wrong. He frowned at himself as he looked at himself in the mirror. At least he didn’t have any injuries or anything. 

He washed his teeth thoroughly, feeling a hundred times better when he was able to smell something besides that awful aftertaste. With a towel wrapped securely around his waist, he padded out only to freeze when his eyes locked with the familiar blue eyes. 

“Shit”, he cursed, eyes blowing wide, cheeks instantly burning. 

“Morning!”, Will squeaked out as he rushed to lower down the bags that he had been holding. He turned his back to Nico but he could see that the tips of his ears were bright red. At least he wasn’t the only one feeling embarrassed.

Nico thanked his lucky stars for deciding to use a towel that morning despite thinking he was home alone. He awkwardly shuffled on his feet, uncertain of what to do and how to act. The air was thick with tension.

“I, um”, Will started, still not looking at him as he started sorting through the bags, “I just went to buy some stuff since you guys were running short on them and I wanted to make us breakfast.”

“Oh, erm, that’s...that’s nice”, he managed to stutter out. He inwardly cursed at himself for being so pathetically lost and awkward. 

He stood there for a while longer but neither of them said or did anything and seeing as literally anything was better than what they were doing, Nico mumbled, “I’m going to go and, uh, get dressed.”

“Yeah, sure. Do whatever you want to do. I’ll just be….”, he trailed off as he looked up at Nico.

He raised an amused eyebrow before snorting, “Cooking?”

“Yep! That!”, he snapped his fingers, a triumph smile taking over his face. He looked like an excited puppy, “Cooking. Yep. I’ll just be cooking.”

Nico shook his head, muttering a, “Dork”, as he passed him and hid away in his room. 

Once inside, he took his time. Deep breaths, in and out. He could do it. Will didn’t look upset or mad or anything. That was a good sign, right? It should -had- to be. 

“Right”, he whispered to himself, feeling weird for being scared of interacting with his best friend but if he was honest, things have been weird between them for months at that point. He shouldn’t have been surprised. 

Slowly, he rummaged through his closet, pulling out a fresh pair of sweatpants and a new T-shirt before he tied his hair in a messy bun at the back of his head. 

Will was almost exactly where he left him only that time the apartment was smelling deliciously like waffles with Will behind the stove and Cerberus circling his feet as he giggled.

“No”, he smiled down at him, threatening with a spatula, “Stop that. You’ll have to wait.”

Cerberus didn’t listen though. Instead, he only leaped up, licked Will’s face, and then whined until Will had no other choice but to roll his eyes and toss him a bit of waffles which Cerberus delightfully took. 

“Spoiled brat”, he chuckled as he went back to what he was doing. 

Nico had to admit that his heart did a weird little jump as he observed everything. The entire scene felt oddly….domestic but in a good way. Will, in an apron, cooking them both breakfast. Nico, waking up and joining him. Cerberus being there with both of them. It was all he spent years thinking about but yet something was missing and Nico knew damn well what that something was and he didn’t like the weight that settled in his gut at the thought.

“You’re guilty of it too”, he commented as he took a seat at the dining table.

Will startled, jumping a bit up and bringing a hand to his heart as he looked at him with wide eyes. He pointed at him with the spatula the same way he did with Cerberus just moments ago, “We need to put a bell on you.” 

“Try it and you’re dead”, he threatened, earning himself a breathy laughter. 

They remained quiet after that and if it wasn’t for the worry that was eating him up the entire time Nico would say that it was a comfortable silence. However, he couldn’t hold himself from bouncing his leg up and down or puffing out his cheeks as he waited and waited and waited. All the while, Will cheerfully hummed, his hips swaying a bit back and forth.

“Help me set up?”, Will asked, startling Nico who was quick to get up on his feet and rush to fetch the plates.

“Sure thing.”

Just as he lowered the waffles and the chocolate syrup on the table, Will joined him with two cups. One with coffee with extra whipped cream and sugar, just the way Nico liked it, and the other with what smelled like some kind of herbal tea.

“You know”, he began as he took a seat, “Out of all of the possible scenarios, I didn’t think that this morning would end up like this”, he chuckled.

The words made Nico freeze. “H-how did you expect it to end up then?”, he shuttered out, immediately cringing at his voice and the way it betrayed him so easily. 

“Don’t get me wrong, I have no issues with you walking around shirtless”, he winked despite his cheeks darkening as he said it, “But I thought it would be a bit, um, different circumstances.”

It took a while for Nico’s brain to catch up but once it did, he blushed, bright and hot. “Will!”

“What?”, the other laughed, “I’m just honest.”

“Can we not talk about it right now? Please?”, he begged and something about Nico’s tone must’ve told Will that it wasn’t something to joke about. 

His smile dropped, expression turning serious, “Yeah, okay.”

They ate in silence, only the sound of the utensils clinking and Cerberus happily eating his own food being heard in the room. Nico didn’t feel much like eating and tried to give up once but one stern glare from Will was enough to make him finish the among which Will had prepared for him. 

The second they cleared the table up, Will led him by the hand, lowering them on the couch and patiently waiting for Nico to start.

Suddenly, his tongue felt heavy, mouth going dry, head pounding harder than before. He completely forgot to take some painkillers despite seeing that Will had generously left him some with the water. Nico’s brows furrowed, cheeks puffing out, his mouth opened and closed but no words came out. 

Will must’ve noticed Nico’s strained expression. He reached out, took Nico’s hands into his, gently massaging them and smiling softly at him. “Take your time.”

Nico nodded. He allowed himself to relax a bit under Will’s ministrations. It was just Will. He could do it. He clearly wasn’t mad and wasn’t going to fight with him, hopefully. If anything, he seemed oddly peaceful and relaxed which gave Nico the extra boost to actually open his mouth and speak. 

“I-I’m sorry. About yesterday. I didn’t…”

“Hey, it’s okay”, Will reassured, still smiling, still calm.

“What? No, it’s not”, he quickly objected. He took his hands away, ignoring the crestfallen expression that flickered on Will’s face. “I walked out on you like a fucking coward. How is that okay?”

“You were overwhelmed”, Will shrugged but Nico only glared. A heavy sigh escaped him before he straightened up, “Look. Yeah, sure, I was hurt. A lot. Cried over it and everything.”

“But”, he rushed to explain upon seeing the regret in Nico’s eyes, “I’m okay now. Our little talk last night might’ve helped a bit though”, he admitted sheepishly. 

“Oh, God, don’t mention that”, Nico groaned as he hid behind his hands, “What did I even say?”

“I assure you that you were a proper gentleman. Told me off and everything.”

“Fuck, no”, he cursed but couldn’t help but chuckle later. How could he not when Will was giggling so sweetly beside him.

“Oh, c’mon. You weren’t that bad. Although I don’t get why you tried to fight Dakota.”

“Hey!”, he defended as he pushed Will’s shoulder, “I was drunk and upset and he was there and then all I could think about was vengeance.” He blushed harder than he ever had in his life as he said that but the way Will smiled back made it worth it.

“You were defending my honor”, Will cooed as he threw himself at Nico, arms wrapping around his neck as he pulled him close. “My hero!”

“No”, he shrieked, hand pushing Will’s face away as he squirmed underneath him, “Get away, dork!” 

“Never!”, and he accentuated the point by holding tighter, pulling closer, laughing louder and Nico was a goner. We are talking full-on blushing and spluttering mess and just when he thought that it couldn’t get any worse it did. “I promised that I won’t leave you ever again and I meant it.”

Nico froze and no doubt Will felt it for he scrambled off of him, eyes wide. It was silent for a moment until he hesitantly asked, “Did I say something wrong?” 

“No! Yes? I don’t know!”, he jumped up, hand running through his bangs as he paced the room, “L-look, I’m lost, okay? One day I ask you to hang out and you reject me as if I suggested we go and shave our heads and the next day you ask me out on a date and then kiss me. How am I supposed to react to that? You’ve been sending me mixed signals for weeks and I know how you feel and I know that you care but it’s hard.” 

He turned to Will who was quietly sitting on the couch, eyes trained on the floor as he listened to his rant. “I love you, Will. But I’m not a toy. I can’t let you play with my feelings. If you need time to figure it out then fine, take all the time that you need, but don’t make promises like that if you won’t keep them. I don’t-- I can’t take another heart break.”

“And you won’t have to!”, Will bursted, wild energy shining in his eyes as he leaped up and took Nico’s hands into his again, “You won’t have to, Death Boy. I’m sorry. I know I was an idiot and I’ll spend the rest of my life regretting everything but I’m done running away.”

“Will…”, he attempted to get away but Will held on tight, desperate to get him to listen, to hear, to understand. 

“No, it’s your turn to listen. I know that what I did was wrong but I promise, I’m here to stay. I’m done with beating around the bush. I love you. Always have, always will. Nothing can change that. I shouldn’t have rejected you. I shouldn't have kept you waiting not after you waited for so long. And I’m so, so sorry about that. I’ll do anything you want to prove it”, he promised, all honesty and regret filling those blue, blue eyes.

Nico's gaze softened as he realized that Will actually meant it. He could feel it, feel the weight and seriousness behind his words. Still, he needed to be sure, “Anything?”

“Anything.”

“So if I asked you to go and get me some Happy Meals you’d do it?”, he questioned as he masked the amusement in his voice.

Will looked thrown off for a second before his eyes hardened. “If that’s what you want, then I’m going to get you all of the Happy Meals in the world”, he vowed and wow, that shouldn’t have made Nico as flustered as it did.

“I think that that might be a bit too much”, he tried to remain serious but a giggle escaped him right at the end.

Will played along. “Yeah, well you’re worth it. I’ll even get all of the other meals. I’ll get you every McDonald’s that there is! You’ll be declared the king of McDonald's once I’m done!” 

Nico couldn’t hide his amusement any longer. His shoulders started to shake as struggled to get Will’s arm down from where he was pointing at the ceiling. “Just a Happy Meal is enough, Sunshine”, he laughed.

“You sure?”

“Positive”, he promised as he nodded as he rested his arms on Will’s hips, “Although there is something else.” 

“Yeah? What’s that?”, Will’s arms rested on Nico’s shoulders, putting them so close that their chests touched.

Nico looked at him. His bright eyes shone with amusement and cheeks colored in a pretty pink. At the wide smile and the fond look, he was giving him. The next sentenced came out breathless, revealing just how deep down he fell, how much he adored the ray of sunshine that was in front of him. Nico had no regrets though. He finally got to say what his heart always yearned to. 

“Be my boyfriend.” 

A relief flooded him the second the words left his mouth but a small fear was quick to appear when Will’s eyebrows furrowed just slightly, a confused, “Huh?”, falling from his parted lips.

“Be my boyfriend, Sunshine”, he repeated. Much surer, much more confident. He leaned in, knocked their foreheads together.

A slow smile stretched on Will’s face. “Boyfriend, huh?”, he quirked an eyebrow as he teased, “Are you sure you’re ready for that?”

“I’ve been ready for almost a decade”, he deadpanned, making Will chuckle before he nodded, biting his lip to stop a smile from blooming but his eyes gave him away, shining brighter than Nico ever got a chance to see them. God, he wanted to be the reason for Will to look that way for the rest of their lives. 

“I’d love to”, he confessed.

“Yeah?”, he checked, breathless, and disbelieving. 

“Yeah”, Will confirmed, “Now shut up and kiss me.” And really, who was Nico to disobey him? 

He leaned in, captured Will’s lips in a loving, slow kiss. Their teeth knocked against each other, noses bumping. It wasn’t perfect by any means but Will simply tilted his head, stepped closer, held tighter, and suddenly they were melting against each other, breathing each other in.

Nico’s senses were filled by WillWillWill. He was so caught up that a pitiful whine escaped him when suddenly Will leaned back. One look at the pout that overtook his face was enough to make Will chuckle before he pecked his lips once more. 

“Sorry, my phone is--”, he explained as he reached into his back pocket. True enough, there was an incoming call. Nico glared at the device as if it personally offended him but Will simply chuckled at him again and wrapped an arm around him as he picked it up.

“Hello?” 

Nico huffed but all anger left him when Will pressed a small kiss at the top of his head, making him melt and blush under the affection. He nuzzled Will’s shoulder, arms wrapping around his waist as he not so patiently waited for him to finish the call so that they could go back to sucking faces.

“Yes. No. I don’t know, Hazel. He’s with me, why?”, Will frowned as he eyed Nico who shot him a questioning look. “Yeah, sure. Your sister wants you”, he offered as an explanation as he gave his phone to Nico.

The second the device touched his ear, Nico jumped, putting a distance between him and his screaming sister. 

“Nikola di Angelo!”, Hazel shrieked, offended and mad, “How dare you?”

“Stop screaming!”, he shouted back.

“I will not! Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Tell you what?”

“That you and Will went out on a date! You told Leo but you didn’t think to tell me?”, and Nico couldn’t tell if she was genuinely offended or was just messing with him.

“You were on a date with Frank, I didn't want to bother!”, he spluttered in panic. 

“Well you should’ve”, she huffed before her tone did a one-eighty. “So”, she dragged out, sounding awfully suggestive, “How did it go? I’ll assume well considering that you weren’t answering and that he’s with you this early.”

Nico blushed at the implication, immediately detaching himself from Will who was trying to listen in. “My phone is in my room! It’s probably dead or something.”

“That doesn’t answer my question!”

“It”, he looked at Will, at the confused yet sweet smile. He smiled back, all affection and warmth, “It went great. I, um...I’ve got a boyfriend?”

All he got in return was a very loud sequel and a “Fuck! Yes! Finally! I gotta go and tell Leo!”

“No, Hazel, wait!”, but it was too late. The line was already dead and Nico was left to stare at his own reflection on the black screen. 

“Shouldn’t have told her yet”, he mumbled before all breath got knocked out of him.

“Say it again”, Will demanded as he hugged him tight, his head tucked in the crook of Nico’s neck.

“Say what again?”, he didn’t know what to do. His arms stood uselessly, unsure if he should hug him or push him away. 

“The last thing that you said”, Will explained.

“Wait?”

“No, before that.”

Nico thought back. Before that… A shy smile appeared on his face, “I’ve got a boyfriend.”

Will hugged him tighter and Nio felt him press a kiss on his neck. “I don’t think that I’ll ever get used to that.”

A fond chuckle bubbled out of Nico as he hugged him back, lifted him up, and spun him a bit around. He pressed a kiss on Will’s forehead followed by one on his nose then finally his lips.

All he felt at that moment was pure and overwhelming happiness. All he ever dreamt of, fantasized about, wished for was finally coming true. 

Will kissed him back with equal, if not bigger, enthusiasm. Desperate kisses interrupted by occasional giggles until they couldn’t do anything but hold each other brace both of them were smiling too wide. 

“I can’t believe that this is finally happening”, Nico whispered. His vision started to blur and he couldn’t believe that he was that sappy that he was crying but it seemed like he was. There was nothing to be done as the first tears fell besides wiping them off and going back to hugging Will.

However, his boyfriend had other plans. He leaned back, worry filling his eyes until he realized what was happening. His expression instantly melted into an affectionate one as he gently wiped Nico’s tears away. 

“I’m sorry”, he sniffled through an embarrassed laugh, “I just…”

“It’s okay”, Will reassured as he went back to hugging him, “I’m happy too.”

Nico didn’t say anything else. He just held onto Will until his feet started to hurt and he couldn’t take it anymore. 

“I owe you another date”, he began as he detached himself, fingers tangled with Will’s where their hands were hanging between them. “A proper one. Without running away.”

“You don’t owe me anything”, Will tried but Nico only shook his head, squeezed his hands.

“I don’t but I want to. I...I’ll be honest, I’ll probably suck at this whole...dating thing”, he cringed as he thought about his complete lack of experience. He quickly shook all of the worries and concerns away though. That wasn’t the time for self-doubt besides he had Will. He’d manage. “But I’ll do my best.”

“Don’t worry”, Will ran a hand through his bangs and then cupped his cheek, “We’ll take baby steps. We’ve got the rest of our lives for it.”

“The rest of our lives, huh?”, he smirked. He quite liked the sound of that, if he was honest.

Will blushed, looked away, “Shut up. You know what I mean.”

“I do”, Nico agreed before he cupped Will’s chin and made him look at him again. “It doesn’t sound too bad with you by my side.”

“Yeah?”, Will breathed out.

“Yeah”, and he followed the statement with yet another kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bhsHJBGSKAHOJ 
> 
> THEY'RE BOYFRIENDS!! i can't believe we've made it y'all. ngl, it was hard to write this chapter and the following one because I wanted to make them perfect so I hope everyone likes them
> 
> do not fear! the next chapter is an epilog but it's a very interesting one and dare I say stuff happens and I believe some will be very pleased
> 
> see y'all in two days!


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welp, this is it, the last chapter. a bit of a warning(?), things get just a bit spicy in it and there's some stuff that has been implied but not described (still working on how to write smut) so keep it in mind while you read, it's at the very end of the chapter. hope y'all enjoy it :)

A delicious smell of freshly cooked breakfast was the first thing Will noticed as he started to rouse. He kept his eyes closed, letting the smell fill his lungs as he slowly woke up, a tender smile making its way on his face before he could even stop it. Not like he would even try, it was useless to hide the happiness he felt.

Ever so slowly, he blinked his eyes open, gaze falling on the empty half of the bed his boyfriend occupied the night before. It made sense but Will couldn’t help the small pang of disappointment that coursed through him.

It was their first morning in their first apartment. He was hoping for some cuddles and kisses, maybe even more, not to wake up by himself. At least it was for a valid reason such as making a tasty meal for both of them instead of something ridiculous. 

He sat up, stretched his body enjoying the satisfying way his muscles shifted as chills ran up it. With a swift move, he flung the sheets off himself, the cold air hitting his bare body with full force as he rose. 

Their bedroom was still pretty clustered. The boxes they still haven’t managed to unpack filling the space with the bed being the only thing that was set up. Will contemplated taking a shower but suddenly the sound of gentle singing reached his ears followed by another wave of that amazing smell and all plans were discarded.

He quickly picked up the clothes he so hastily discarded the night before, putting his underwear and a shirt on before he padded out, his feet quiet on the cool floor. 

Behind the stove, dressed in just a pair of sweatpants and the silly apron Jason bought him, stood his wonderful boyfriend. His long hair was drawn back in a small braid, a content look on his face as he sang to himself.

Will approached him, wrapped his arms around his waist, and buried his head into the crook of his neck where he started pressing small kisses. 

“Morning, Sunshine”, Nico chuckled, twisting his head just so and pressing a small kiss into Will’s temple before he turned back towards whatever it was that he was making. 

“Morning”, he mumbled back, voice muffled because he moved from Nico’s neck to his jaw as he breathed in the smell of mint and pomegranates. 

“Someone’s clingy”, he teased, voice husky and low. Despite his words, Will felt him leaning back, relaxing against Will as a small shudder went down his spine. 

Satisfied, Will smiled against Nico’s skin, pressing one final kiss onto the corner of his mouth as he went back to rest his head on his shoulder. “How come you’re awake so early?”

Nico snorted. “It’s almost 11.”

“It is?”, he frowned. Usually, it was he who woke up first, made them breakfast then took his time to fight Nico and get him out of the bed. He discovered pretty early in their relationship that kisses did wonders with his boyfriend. That, and one good coffee. 

“Seems like someone enjoyed himself a bit too much last night”, and Will didn’t even have to look at him to know that there was a self-satisfied smirk splayed on his gorgeous face.  
“Shut up”, he grumbled, a small blush coating his cheeks. It didn’t matter that Nico was right nor that they had been dating for two years at that point, Will still got flustered by the smallest of teasing. In his defense, Nico did too so yeah. Fair game and all. 

He pushed himself away, body automatically going towards the box which held their cutlery and all of the other kitchen necessities. 

“When are the others coming?”, he checked as he grabbed them some plates and forks and took them to the small dining table they managed to score at a pretty affordable price. 

“At 6”, Nico replied as he joined him with their food, “Leo might come a bit earlier though.”

“That's alright.”

The two of them took their seats. Nico placed a cup of tea in front of each of them but Will didn’t let that fool him. His boyfriend was still a coffee-loving heathen. He was probably too lazy to unpack their coffee maker or something. 

Will smiled at him as he accepted his cup, a small groan escaping him when he tasted the apple cinnamon-flavored tea that was in it. “God, I love you so much”, he said as he lowered it back down.

Nico chuckled, laced their fingers together, and pressed a loving kiss at the back of his hand. “Eat your food, caro.”

Will did as he was told, digging in and eating what he knew was going to be yet another mind-blowingly delicious breakfast. Despite his reluctance and tendency to skip on meals, Nico was an amazing cook, something Will used as much as possible. It wasn’t that he hated cooking but why do it himself when he had his super talented boyfriend willing to make him food 24/7?

“We should probably finish unpacking”, Nico sighed as Will washed the dishes. 

“Yeah, we can’t really have people over with all this mess”, Will agreed with a chuckle. They only moved in the day before. 

Their morning before was filled with a lot of rushing and going back and forth between their places before they finally brought the last of the boxes from Nico’s apartment over. 

It was their first joint apartment. During their years of dating, they haven’t ever had an apartment of their own. Sure, most of Will’s stuff ended up at Nico’s place and sure his room at his and Cecil’s place was mostly empty and housing his old books and school stuff. And sure, he spent most of his night at Nico’s apartment and especially after Hazel started spending more time at Frank’s but they haven’t really been living together until that point. 

The day when Nico suggested that they get a place that would be their own, a place they could call home and build new memories in was one of the best days of Will’s life. Nico seemed so scared, so hesitant, so adorable as he stuttered and blushed through his proposal and there was only so little Will could do not to scream out of happiness and smolder him with kisses.

He, of course, said yes and their search began. It wasn’t an easy one especially considering that Nico was the only one who had a fulltime job and Will was still in med school but after weeks of searching they finally manage to find a perfect two-bedroom apartment which wouldn’t require them living on ramen or traveling an insane amount of time to reach their jobs and schools.

It was small but it was theirs and Will loved and cherished every single inch of it. He almost framed their lease, where their names stood next to each other, but Nico stopped him as soon as he realized that Will was serious. 

Their lovely home was halfway unpacked, with the bathroom and living room all set and ready but they were yet to finish setting up the kitchen, their bedroom and, the most important room, Nico’s workroom. 

Will knew better than to go and set up the last one. As much as Nico loved him he would probably wring his neck if he dared to touch any of his supplies or pieces so he happily moved on and went to his favorite room which would be their bedroom. 

With Nico out of the way, he had free reign over the closet and he’d be damned if he didn’t use the opportunity to color code everything and maybe throw out that stupid shirt Nico still stubbornly wore despite it being more of a big hole than a piece of fabric. 

“Look what I found”, Nico chuckled as he entered the room, a big canvas in hand as he walked. 

Eagerly, Will stood up from where he was sitting on the floor and sorting through his big assortment of socks. He peeked over Nico’s shoulder, his gaze softening as soon as he realized what he was looking at. 

“Can’t believe it was only two years ago”, Nico murmured as he admired one of the paintings of Will he did for his final project when they were finishing college. 

“My back was hurting so much after that one”, Will commented as he remembered the exact day he posed for the piece. It was hard and tiring but Nico treated him to a fancy dinner consisting of Chinese takeout and a movie night after so he couldn’t complain much. 

“Yeah but you look hot”, Nico said offhandedly with a chuckle.

Will let out a noise of protest, slapping Nico’s chest as he glared at him, but was quickly shushed by a pair of lips on his. He immediately melted into it, a small sigh escaping him as he wrapped his arms around Nico’s neck and pulled him closer. 

Just as he moved to deepen the kiss, Nico pulled back, his cheeks flushed as he pecked Will once more. “As much as I’d like to stay here and make out with you some more, we really need to finish everything.”

“Yeah, I know”, but he couldn’t help the small pout which didn’t go unnoticed by his boyfriend who treated him to a couple of more kisses before he finally pushed Will away and went back to work. 

Turns out, Will didn’t have much work left to do so soon he moved to the kitchen where Nico joined him quickly after. 

“You done there?”, he questioned as he passed him a set of plates and bowls which Nico carefully stacked on the shelves.

“No”, Nico snorted, “I’ll need more than a couple of hours for that.”

“I could help?”, he offered but got brushed off immediately.

“No offense but no. I can do it on my own.”

“As you wish.”

They continued working and everything would’ve been fine if it wasn’t for the hiss that left Nico’s lips moments after. 

Will’s head shot up only to find Nico with his face scrunched up and his finger in his mouth. “What’s wrong?”

Nico simply took the finger out and pointed it at Will. A small streak of blood appeared before he sucked in back into his mouth again and if it wasn’t for the finger that occupied it Will could bet that he would pout.

“How are you so clumsy?”, Will shook his head with a fond chuckle as he went to the bathroom to find some bandages. 

Just like when they were kids, he pulled out a flower-covered bandage before going back to put it on his boyfriend’s finger. He sealed the deal with a small kiss before pressing one onto those lips which were indeed pouting. 

“Didn’t know that the knives were in that box”, Nico explained. 

“Luckily, you have your own doctor right here”, he winked, earning himself an eye roll and a slap on the shoulder with a mumbled, “Get out of here, dork.” 

Will took that as the perfect opportunity to do just that. He took a step back, offering Nico a small wave as he started walking backward, “As a matter of fact, I’m off to take a shower.”

Nico’s eyes widened as he waved his hands around, “You can’t leave me to finish all this work on my own!”

“You can always join me?”, he offered, watching as Nico spluttered some more but in the end, his boyfriend opted to stay and finish what they started claiming that he showered before Will woke up. 

Pushing his disappointment aside, Will took his time to enjoy a nice warm shower, mentally preparing himself for the party that was to come. 

It wasn’t really a party party. Their friends were just coming over and they were going to have some fun, eat some food, get a couple of drinks and just hang out and relax. But having all their friends at one spot was always draining even for Will and he knew that Nico’s social batteries would be completely empty after it but they couldn’t really say no when all of them seemed happy about visiting. 

Leo’s voice was the first thing Will heard when he stepped out, a towel securely wrapped around his waist. For a second he thought that Cerberus was going to steal it like he used to do before but then he remembered that their friend was no longer with them. 

He knew that Nico still missed him a lot despite him being gone for almost a year at that point. It was a sad day for all of them but the pair took it the worst. They were the ones who were with him since he was just a little pup after all. They practically raised him.

Maybe we could adopt another dog, Will mused to himself as he rummaged through the closet. Or a cat? Maybe Nico would be up for a cat this time. We don’t have much room for a puppy here. 

He stored the thought away, determined to come back to it on some other day, and actually talk to Nico. They already got an apartment together, they could adopt a cat. It’s a much lesser commitment than a lease, he thought.

“You wouldn’t believe it even if you saw it!”, Leo screamed from where he was telling Nico something, probably another crazy story from work, “I have no idea how he managed to survive that accident.”

“Maybe it was his ghost?”, Nico offered, looking half amused and half bored as he shot Will a smile over Leo’s shoulder.

Leo faltered for a second before his shoulder sagged. “Why do I even bother with you?”, he sighed, “Will deserves a medal for putting up with your ass for so long.”

“Hear that, Death Boy”, Will beamed, “A medal!” 

“You’re not getting a medal”, Nico deadpanned.

“He never lets me have any fun.”

“You’re wasting your time with him”, Leo nodded thoughtfully, “You should find someone else.”

“Yeah but they don’t really offer hot emo artists who can cook a killing pasta on every corner”, Will sighed sadly. 

Nico shot him a death glare which prompted Leo to start cackling and Will to coo at his offended expression. He hugged him, pressed a kiss on the top of his head as he smiled. “Sorry, sorry. You know that I could never leave your ass.”

“You better not”, Nico mumbled followed by an elbow in the gut. 

“How about we prepare that food while we wait?”, Leo suggested as he went after the grocery bags which were sitting on the counter. Will assumed that he brought with because they sure as hell weren’t there before he went to shower and they didn’t have that much stuff in their fridge.

“You’re only saying that because you’re hungry”, Nico pointed out but joined him in the preparations regardless. 

“Potato, potato, amigo”, Leo waved and with that, the three of them proceeded to make too big of an amount of tacos much to Leo’s joy. How was he still so skinny despite eating enough for three adult men was a mystery to Will. All he knew that Leo stubbornly refused to reveal his secret, claiming it to be the McShizzle power. 

The rest of their friends joined soon after with Cecil being the last one to arrive. Will forgave him quickly enough when he spotted the drinks he brought with. Trust Cecil to have them stocked on alcohol.

“I still think you shouldn’t drink”, Nico mumbled as Hazel swirled her glass of wine around. 

“I am 23, I get to do what I want”, and she followed the statement by taking an overly loud sip from it.

And normally, Will would’ve told him to mind his own business and have some fun but he also knew the exact reason why Nico said it, and he couldn’t help but agree. Hazel tended to be a bit of a clingy drunk but the point was that she didn’t even have to be fully drunk, just tipsy, and poor Frank didn’t take it well.

Like then, she was snuggly placed on his lap, arm thrown around his neck so she could pull his close and nuzzle his shoulder whenever she felt like it, and Frank couldn’t do anything but make sure she didn’t spill any wine on either of them. Too many accidents happened in the past. 

“Valdez, you’re going to have to teach me how to make these”, Lou groaned, mouth full of tacos. “They’re so good.”

“No.”

“Aw, c’mon why not?”, she pleaded, causing Will to chuckle. 

“Lou, you’ve been trying for the past year. He clearly won’t tell you the secret.”

It was weird to see all of their friends together. Sure, it happened in the past too but ever since he and Nico got together everyone had been hanging out together more and more.

“It’s to make sure you two don’t do any more stupid stunts. A decade of torture was enough for us”, Cecil told him gravely when he once commented on it and Will had no doubts that he meant it.

But oh well, he had no plan to mess anything up ever again. If anything, he spent the past two years of his life being the best boyfriend possible. They had their fights and arguments and some tears might’ve been spilled here and there and tough words exchanged but they worked their way through it. They were best friends first and everything else seconds, that was something they both agreed on when they first started dating. 

He looked at his boyfriend, at the open smile he displayed where he was snuggled by his side, engaged in something Cecil was telling him. His heart threatened to burst from the affection he felt at that moment and he couldn’t help but press a firm kiss into his temple.

Nico looked at him, eyes wide in surprise behind the dark bangs, “What was that for?”

“I’ll tell you later”, he whispered conspiratorially and Nico simply shrugged, leaned a bit more against him, and squeezed his hand before going back to his conversation. God, Will loved him more by each day. 

They spent the rest of their evening like that. Just enjoying their time with their friends, laughing and joking around as they looked back on their early years. Lou just had to bring up prom and the fact that Will just couldn’t get a date so Nico kindly sacrificed himself and went with him which prompted Nico to blush from head to toe as the others cackled. 

Honestly, how Will never noticed that his best friend was into him was a mystery. It was so painfully obvious. Nico might as well have written it on his forehead. 

Midnight approached and with it, the last of their guests started to leave. 

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay?”, Will checked as Lou, Miranda, and Cecil were getting ready to go out of the door, “We can set something up.”

“Nah”, Lou waved her manicured hand. “I’m sure you boys have some important business to attend to.” 

Upon Will’s confused expression, she winked at him. “Somebody has to christen the rest of the rooms. Or you two already did that?”

“Lou!”, Will spluttered. He could feel his entire body being enveloped in a violent blush as he started ushering his cackling friends out, “We are not animals!”

“What? Randa and I did it.”

“Babe!”, her girlfriend protested and Will didn’t stay long enough to watch as Lou got herself out of that one. He slammed the door in their faces, leaning against it for a bit and taking a moment to breathe before he headed back to help Nico clean up the mess they all made.

He found his boyfriend in the middle of the already clean living room, standing still with his back turned to Will and seemingly absorbed into something. With his curiosity piqued, Will approached only for his breath to get stuck in his throat when his eyes fell on what Nico was looking at.

“Where did you get that?”, he whispered.

He didn’t seem startled as his lips fondly tilted up, his gaze focused at the photo booth pictures he held. “Hazel gave them to me before she left. Said she found them at the apartment yesterday. They must’ve fallen out while we were packing everything up.”

“I completely forgot about them.”

“Yeah, me too”, Nico breathed out, his voice distant.

Will circled him, worried about the sudden change of tone, only to realize that his eyes were shining with unshed tears. “Hey, what’s wrong? Talk to me”, he instructed gently. He took the photos which captured their second-ever kiss from Nico and placed them on the coffee table before he cupped Nico’s cheeks.

“S-sorry”, Nico chuckled, wet and embarrassed, “I just...It feels like our first date was yesterday and look at us now. We have an apartment together.”

“Yeah”, he agreed, “But I think we’ve really come a long way. Even though you ran out on me.”

“Hey, I thought we were past that”, Nico pouted, making Will chuckle before he wrapped his arms around his neck and started swinging them a bit side to side. 

“Sorry, sorry.”

“You better be”, he grumbled back but couldn’t keep the angry facade for long. He rested his forehead against Will’s, eyes falling closed as he hummed. “What are we doing?”

“Dancing”, Will simply replied and that seemed to be enough. Nico wrapped his arms around Will’s waist, pulled him closer, swayed them with a bit more confidence but otherwise let Will guide him in their silent dance with only the sound of their breathing and breathing hearts filling the quiet. 

Will didn’t know who moved first. One second they were dancing, just breathing each other in and enjoying the moment, and in the next, they were kissing, soft and loving, and passionate. 

A moan escaped him but he didn’t have the time to stop it or feel embarrassed. Nico swallowed it down, gripped Will’s chin tighter, and kissed him harder, more demanding, greedy. Will let him, loving the way their lips fit so perfectly against each other, bodies moving on instinct and working as one.

“I love you so fucking much”, Nico mumbled as they parted to breathe, almost no space left between them, lips brushing against Will’s as he spoke. 

No matter how many times he said it, Will could never get tired of hearing him say those words. They never failed to make his heart skip a beat as he thanked the universe time and time again for not letting him ruin the best thing that ever happened to him.

“I love you too”, he said back, voice dripping with honesty and affection, gaze melting with adoration he felt for his boyfriend. 

His thought drifted to the small box he hid in their apartment the day prior. He had it for a while at that point, ever since the moment they started to look for the apartment actually, but he was still too scared to do anything with it. 

That didn’t stop him from spending hours just thinking and looking at it, the small silver band mocking him from where it was placed in the simple plush box.

I promise to make you as happy as you make me each day, he vowed in his head, his fingers lacing with Nico’s and gently guiding him to the bedroom. 

He owed Nico much more, he knew. How wouldn’t he when the other never failed to make him happy, make him smile, make him so grateful for everything he had? They’ve been through a lot and he had no doubts that they could survive anything that could be tossed their way as long as they had each other.

Nico was his world and he was going to give him one in return. One without any pain and only beautiful things filling it. One worthy of the man he got to call his soulmate.

They fell on the bed with their lips still locked, both sets of hands set on a mission in roaming each other's bodies. Will broke the kiss as he panted with Nico hovering above him, his cheeks adorably flushed and lips parted. He knew he wasn’t much better, being able to feel the warmth that spread through his skin. 

Will reached up with a small smile, tucked a stray strand back behind his ear, and watched as the blush only deepened from the tender gesture. “Hey there.”

“Hello”, Nico snorted, dark eyes half-lidded and filled with lust as he gazed down at him for a moment before diving back down, claiming Will’s lips again and humming when Will threaded his fingers through the black, silky strands and pulled gently. 

Clothes got shed as they continued their ministrations, ending up on the floor in a messy pile but neither cared, too absorbed in the moves, the taste, the feeling of each other as they got lost in their own world filled with pleasure.

And later, when both of them laid in the bed, limbs still tangled and skin sweaty and warm as they held each other closecloseclose, Will couldn’t help but kiss Nico once more but that time much softer, tender, savoring than any other one they shared just prior. 

His boyfriend looked at him, a drowsy smile on his pretty face before he snuggled closer, head tucked underneath Will’s chin. He pressed a hiss on Will’s freckled chest, dark eyes droopy as he whispered, “Night, Sunshine.”

Will wrapped his arms around him more securely, pulling him closer even though there wasn’t a single inch left between them as it was, pressed a kiss on the top of his head, and nuzzled his hair which was messy from Will running his hands through it far too much. 

“Night, Death Boy.” 

They fell asleep like that, content smiles plastered on their faces and their hearts beating as one. 

Will wished if he could spend the rest of his life like that, with the man he loved in his arms and his heart being full with all of the love he felt for him. He hoped Nico wanted the same thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and this. is. a warp, folks! 
> 
> a big thanks to everyone for being there and showing their support and an even bigger thanks to everyone who took their time to leave lovely comments after each chapter, they mean the world and I'm so happy I managed to get you so invested in my little story.
> 
> I'll be working on another longer solangelo piece behind the scenes but I have no idea when it's going to be ready to be up, sometimes in 2021 probably. but, I also have a writing Instagram account where I'm posting daily content for my other solangelo fic which is even better than this one so feel free to hop over and join everyone there. you can find me under the same name (@prongs_writes). in case you do come over and it's your first time there, hmu up, my DMs are always open and I love talking to my readers
> 
> in case it wasn't clear, will is planning to propose to nico very soon but I decided to leave that bit to everyone's imagination. but their relationship is nothing but caring and loving in the years that will follow 
> 
> try listening to the song 'beautiful pain' by alec benjamin now bc stuff will make a lot of sense and it just goes so well with the entire story
> 
> that's about it. once again, a big thanks for all of the support. you made a sad bean very happy during the past couple of months.
> 
> take care. prongs loves y'all <3

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback is greatly appreciated! Hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> You can find me on Instagram @tweet_olympus, too.


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